Willow Chapter Two
by patriciaashby1983
Summary: This is a Rewrite of My Story Willow this one will follow the storyline from Season 4 To Season 5 Willow finds Out her destiny is tide to Klaus follow along My Story as she goes through Elena becoming a Vampire to everyone fighting over the Cure as Silas Rises and see How Close Klaus and the Young Mage becomes
1. Growing Pains

**Growing Pains**

**Klaus's Mansion**

_After what happened during the Departed Willow was stabbed in the heart by Alaric who tried to kill Klaus with the white Oak stake Rebekah who was also there to try to get Klaus body away from Alaric saw Klaus supposedly killed in front of her eyes she Rushes out of there but not before grabbing Willow and escaping with her Rebekah found Elijah telling him that Klaus was dead and that Willow was stabbed in the chest Rebekah feed Willow her blood before she died and in the result brought her back to life but not a Human but in transition as a Vampire Once again and this time it will stick Now this is where My Second Chapter of Willow comes in My story begins like this._

_Willow is laying down in a Bed in Klaus's Mansion where Rebekah and Elijah took her still in transition from drinking Rebekah's blood and Now she has No choice but to become a vampire or die this time permanently Hearing footsteps come into her room Rebekah comes in with a Person Worry is on her face as she forces the Man in front of her._

_Rebekah: You must drink his blood Willow if you don't you will die and I don't want that you are a friend to me and I'd rather you be a vampire than a Dead person so Please drink or I will force you._

_Willow:( Gasping as she smells the Blood coming from the wound on the Man's neck Not able to resist she Drinks his blood Rebekah smiling softly as she took the Man away from Willow Rebekah watches as Willow's eyes turn red with blood and veins appear under her eyes and her mouth where a set of fangs appear) _

_Rebekah:Good Willow you are now a vampire ( Biting down on the young mans throat and finishing him off then throws him away) Don't Worry I've got you a Daylight Ring so you can go out into the sun you will be able to come and goes as you Please._

_Willow: Thanks How did everything go with getting Klaus back._

_Rebekah:( Anger in her voice) We didn't Klaus is dead thanks to Alaric he stabbed him with the stake that he stabbed you with destroying him forever._

_Willow: Oh My God I am so sorry Rebekah I know how much you all loved him_

_Rebekah: Even though he has made enemies and Killed he was still my brother he always felt so alone because he was a hybrid first of his kind that is why Elijah and I has always stood by him No matter what he did._

_Willow: Of course he was your brother I need to get a shower and some clothes I've got to check on the others as soon as I can._

_Rebekah: Okay I'm pretty sure that your House was Anti vampire so you don't need invited in do you._

_Willow: Thanks Rebekah I will see you later( Vampspeeding out of the House)_

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(There is a bright white light and the sounds of church bells ringing, sirens, and yard work going on can be heard. Suddenly, Elena gasps for air and wakes up. Stefan is sitting on the end of her bed, watching her. She seems confused about what is going on around her.)

Elena: Stefan?

Stefan: Hey. I'm right here. You've been in and out for hours.

Elena: Wh-what happened?

Stefan: You were in an accident.

Elena: Oh my God. Matt is he…?

(Damon interrupts; he is sitting on the window seat next to Elena's bed.)

Damon: Alive? (Elena and Stefan both look at him.) Ask Stefan. The hero.

(Elena looks back at Stefan.)

Stefan: He's fine.

Elena: Thank you. I thought that I – how did you…?

Damon: Save you? He didn't.

Stefan: When Jeremy brought you to the hospital before all this happened, your injuries were worse than anyone knew. Meredith Fell made a choice, she used Damon's blood to heal you.

Damon: And when Rebekah ran Matt's truck off the road, you had vampire blood in your system, Elena.

(Elena starts to panic.)

Elena: Oh my God. Does - does that mean that I – am I dead?

(Stefan and Damon say nothing.)

Elena: No, no, no, no! That wasn't supposed to happen!

Stefan: Maybe it doesn't have to. I talked to Bonnie, she says she's stronger than ever, there might be something that she can do to help you.

Damon: No, the only thing that's going to help is for you to feed and complete the transition.

Stefan: We have all day before she has to feed, Damon. That's a day to exhaust every possible way out of this.

Damon: There is no way out of it. We all know the drill. You feed or you die. There is no door number three.

Elena: (crying) I was ready to die. I was supposed to die. I don't – I don't want to be – I can't be a vampire! If there's something that Bonnie can do we have to try.

Stefan: We will. We'll try everything.

(Damon scoffs and rolls his eyes.)

Damon: Your choice, Elena. As always.

(Damon gets up and leaves. Stefan looks at Elena who is still in tears.)

GILBERT HOUSE – KITCHEN

(Damon grabs a bottle of alcohol from a cupboard and pours himself a drink. Stefan enters the kitchen.)

Damon: Way to get her hopes up for something that's never happened in the history of vampirism.

Stefan: You know what, you weren't there the day Elena looked me in the eye and told me she absolutely never wanted this.

(Damon drinks the whole drink in a single gulp.)

Damon: Then you shouldn't have let her die.

Stefan: I never meant for her to die. She asked me to help Matt first and I did.

Damon: And now the world has one more quarterback. Bravo, brother.

(Damon pours himself another drink.)

Stefan: I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my life. Now let me try to fix it.

(Stefan leaves. Damon finishes his second drink Someone Knocking on the door Rolling his eyes and sees Willow standing outside)

Damon: Willow why are you knocking you are Welcome inside you know

Willow;( Sadly Smiling) I was Welcomed in but after what Alaric did stabbing me in my chest was very bad Rebekah after she took me away from there saved my Life by feeding me vampire blood so Here I am a New Vampire Again so is Elena here I need for her to let me in.

Damon: Elena is in transition Willow she can let you in but I don't now if that will work.

Willow: What Elena How did this happen did it have something to do with Elena's Injuries she had.

Damon: Yeah Dr Fell gave her my blood to heal and when Rebekah ran her and Matt off the road coming home Elena died with the blood in her system and Now she is in translation.

Willow: Oh My God I am so sorry ( Eyes with tears) Can you ask Jeremy to let me in Please.

Damon: Of course Jeremy

Jeremy after hearing Damon call him down the stairs he goes over to the door and realizing that its Willow standing at the door not coming in.: Hey Willow why are you standing there you are invited to come in you know.

Willow: I need you to invite me in again Jeremy I'm a Vampire Now so would you let me in Please.

Jeremy:( Shocked and sadly smiles) Yes Please come in Willow.

Willow: Thank You Jeremy I am so sorry about Elena.

Jeremy: Yeah she will be a vampire by the end of the day It sucks but I'd rather have her as a Vampire then being dead( Willow giving him a Hug)

Willow: Don't worry everything will be alright

GILBERT HOUSE – ELENA'S BEDROOM

(Elena is looking at herself in the mirror. She is breathing heavily and rubs her face. She touches her teeth to check if they have sprouted fangs yet. Her hearing has intensified and she hears the electricity running through a lightbulb and looks down at it. Suddenly, she sees Jeremy in the doorway and walks over to him.)

Elena: Jer!

(They embrace.)

Jeremy: Are you okay? I watched Vicki go through this, she was a mess. Her emotions were all over the place. All these old memories came flooding back.

(Elena glances over at the lightbulb again, but turns back to face Jeremy.)

Elena: I'm fine. I'm not Vicki.

Jeremy: No, you're not. You're you. You act like everything's okay so no one worries about you but you need help.

(Elena keeps glancing at the lightbulb.)

Elena: (snappy) I said I'm fine, okay? I – I'm sorry, I…. Have you talked to Bonnie?

Jeremy: Yeah, she said when I was shot; she made some plea to the witch spirits to bring me back and they listened.

Elena: Yeah, but the consequences were horrible.

Jeremy: And what could bemore horrible than you turning into a vampire? I need my sister, not another one of them.

Elena: We're gonna find a way out of this. Everything's gonna be okay.

Jeremy: I hope so.

(Jeremy leaves. Elena turns around and looks at the lightbulb in the lamp. She strides towards it, pulls off the lampshade and crushes the lightbulb in her hand.)

Jeremy: I need you to know that Willow is a Vampire Now too she died the night she went to help Damon to hide Klaus's body from Alaric.

Elena: Oh My God No not Willow again How did she die.

Jeremy: She got killed by Alaric and Rebekah saved her by giving her blood but she died as soon as the blood got consumed it was too late she was In transition all Morning.

Elena: How could this have happened Neither One of us should be a vampire I'm Now in transition and Willow is a Vampire its Not fair.

Jeremy: No Its Not None of this is Right.

LOCKWOOD CELLAR

(Klaus' desiccated body is lying in a coffin. Bonnie is staring at it.)

Tyler/Klaus: It's beautiful, isn't it?

(Bonnie turns around and sees Klaus in Tyler's body entering the cellar.)

Bonnie: What is that doing here, Klaus? The deal we made with Tyler was that you'd leave his body and jump into someone else's the first chance you got.

Tyler/Klaus: Yes, when I assumed I'd be a pile of ash. But apparently, fate and oxygen intervened and there I am.

(Klaus walks towards the coffin.)

Tyler/Klaus: Put me back.

Bonnie: I can't right now.

Tyler/Klaus: Your history teacher outed Tyler and Caroline to the Council. They're on a war path and this body's vulnerable.

Bonnie: I have to help Elena before she has to feed.

Tyler/Klaus: Elena's dead and no longer my concern.

Bonnie: You're forgetting who just saved your life.

(Klaus grabs Bonnie by the throat.)

Tyler/Klaus: And you're forgetting that I could rip your tongue out. Now put me back.

Bonnie: If I can keep Elena human, you'll still have an endless blood supply to make your hybrids. Isn't that what you really want?

(Klaus releases Bonnie. Bonnie starts to leave, but Klaus super speeds in front of her and blocks her way out.)

Tyler/Klaus: Same rules apply. No one knows. No one. Do you understand me, Bonnie?

MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL

(Meredith is walking down the hallway and Pastor Young and some deputies approach her. She stops.)

Meredith: Pastor Young! To what do we owe the honor? And don't tell me it's your blood pressure again.

Pastor Young: Honestly, Dr. Fell, I wish it were.

(He turns to the deputies behind him.)

Pastor Young: Blood banks in the basement. One of you sweep the rooms.

Meredith: What are you doing?

Pastor Young: Adding a few security measures. The blood in this place has a habit of flying off the shelves.

Meredith: Who gave you that authority?

Pastor Young: The Council. They've entrusted me to secure the town and unlike some of our founding families, I don't have conflicting interests.

Meredith: What is that supposed to mean?

Pastor Young: Alaric Saltzman told us everything, Meredith. Probably time to start looking for a new job.

(Pastor Young leaves a shocked Meredith standing there.)

MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL ROOM

(Matt and Caroline are in the room together. Matt has been discharged from the hospital and is getting ready to leave.)

Matt: Elena doesn't want to be a vampire.

Caroline: She doesn't want to be dead and now she's not. This isn't your fault, Matt.

Matt: It's all my fault. I was driving. I was saved. She's a vampire because of me!

Caroline: Shh! Cool it on the V word. I'm a fugitive, remember? I'm supposed to be halfway to Florida by now.

Matt: If the Council is after you, then why are you here?

Caroline: Because I don't know where to go. (She starts to cry.) Tyler's dead and everything's different now and I…

(Matt embraces her. Suddenly, Caroline pulls away. They hear an officer coming towards the room. Caroline leaves. The officer opens the door and sees Matt standing alone.)

Matt: Can I help you?

Officer: Sorry.

(The officer gets on his dispatch.)

Officer: All good here.

(He exits the room and closes the door. Matt breathes a sigh of relief.)

LOCKWOOD MANSION

(An officer is handcuffing Carol Lockwood. Pastor Young is standing nearby.)

Carol: What's going on?

(The officer starts to lead Carol out of her house.)

Pastor Young: We just need to ask you a few questions about your son.

Carol: You can't arrest me! I'm the Mayor of this town!

Pastor Young: Not anymore, you're not.

MYSTIC FALLS TOWN SQUARE

(Sheriff Forbes is walking to the police department. Pastor Young stops her.)

Pastor Young: Sorry, Liz, you're not going to work today.

Liz: What are you talking about?

(The deputies surround the two of them.)

Liz: What's going on?

Pastor Young: They're taking your badge. You're not fit to protect us anymore.

Liz: You have no idea what you're up against.

Pastor Young: On the contrary, Liz, I've already taken your deputies. We've got the entire town's supply of vervain, including the stash found in the Salvatore house. We're making our move.

FORBES' HOUSE

(Caroline is about to leave the house. Her phone is ringing. She answers it.)

Caroline: Mom, hey!

Liz: Caroline, where are you? And tell me it's far away.

Caroline: Where am I? Uh…Good question. Uh… there's just a whole lot of boring highways. Why, is everything okay?

(Caroline leaves the house. She goes to lock the front door when an officer comes up from behind her and stabs a shot of vervain into her neck. She drops her phone and Sheriff Forbes hears the commotion.)

Liz: Caroline, what's going?!

GILBERT HOUSE – KITCHEN

(Elena and Stefan are in the kitchen. Elena takes a bite of a sandwich and chews.)

Stefan: It's disgusting.

Elena: (with her mouth full) No it's, um…

Stefan: It's disgusting.

Elena: Yeah, I'm gonna puke.

(Elena spits out the sandwich into a napkin.)

Elena: I never thought I'd be saying this, but I can't stop thinking about blood.

Stefan: I should have saved you first. You shouldn't be going through this right now.

Elena: No, if you had saved me, then Matt would be dead. What do you think I'd be going through then?

(Stefan pours himself a drink and takes a sip. Elena gets up and walks over to him.)

Elena: Stefan, listen to me. You did the right thing. You did what you always do; you respected my choice.

Stefan: And what am I supposed to do if Bonnie can't figure out a way to help you, huh? Because then you have another choice to make. Either let yourself die or be a vampire.

Elena: Well then, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

(Elena pauses and laughs.)

Elena: Oh my God, did - did I just say "cross that bridge"?

(Elena starts to laugh maniacally.)

Stefan: You're laughing. I'm pretty sure you don't actually think that's funny.

Elena: (still laughing) I – I can't stop though.

Stefan: Your emotions are a bit heightened today. A lot heightened.

(Elena continues to laugh but then she starts to cry. Stefan embraces her.)

Stefan: Hey. Shh, shh. It's okay. It's okay.

Elena: I'm sorry. I…

(Stefan pulls away and caresses her face.)

Stefan: Listen to me. No matter what happens, I'm here for you. I can help you.

(Elena looks out the window and squints her eyes due to the brightness of the sunlight.)

Stefan: Why don't you go back upstairs where it's dark? I'll clean up.

(Elena starts to walk away and shields her eyes from the sun. She walks up the stairs and towards her room. She sees Damon sitting on the window seat.)

Elena: I thought you left?

Damon: Cute PJ's.

(Elena looks down at her clothes, and then hears herself speaking from the bathroom. She looks over at herself.)

Elena: I'm tired, Damon.

(Damon gets up and walks over to the memory version of Elena and holds up her old necklace.)

Damon: I brought you this.

Elena: I thought that was gone. Thank you.

(Elena continues to watch the memory unfold. The memory version of herself attempts to take the necklace from Damon but he pulls it back. Suddenly, Damon and memory Elena disappear. Elena gasps and looks around the room, confused. She turns her head and the memory continues on.)

Damon: I just have to say something.

Elena: Why do you have to say it with my necklace?

Damon: Because what I'm about to say is probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life.

Elena: Damon, don't go there.

Damon: No, I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Elena. And it's because I love you that I can't be selfish with you. Why you can't know this? I don't deserve you, but my brother does.

(Damon kisses Elena on the forehead.)

Damon: God, I wish you didn't have to forget this. But you do.

(Damon compels Elena to forget. The memory ends and the present day Elena touches her neck and looks down.)

KLAUS MANSION

(Rebekah is looking at pictures Klaus had drawn. She picks one up and begins to choke up. She throws the picture down and knocks the rest of them off the table in a fit of rage. Damon enters the room behind her.)

Rebekah: You should know better than to sneak up on a lady.

Damon: Good advice. Have you seen one?

(Rebekah turns to face him.)

Rebekah: Tragic about Elena. Not to make a grey cloud greyer, but does Matt even have automobile insurance?

(Rebekah turns back around. Damon rushes at her with the indestructible white oak stake. She grabs his wrist and prevents him from killing her. She pushes him against a dresser and Willow then Breaks them Up by Pulling Damon off her

Willow: Come on you guys Now is Not the Time for this (Suddenly, someone starts firing wooden bullets through the window. Damon manages to escape but Rebekah and Willow is shot in the heart with an arrow and temporarily dies.)

GILBERT HOUSE

(Elena picks up a photo of her with parents and looks at it for a bit. Suddenly, she hears a commotion downstairs. She walks down the stairs.)

Elena: Stefan?

Stefan: Elena, don't move.

(Elena stops on the staircase. Stefan is surrounding by officers and the Pastor. The officers all have their guns pointed towards him. Elena looks at the Pastor and back at Stefan.)

LOCKWOOD CELLAR

(Tyler/Klaus is sitting on the coffin containing his body. His phone starts to ring. Tyler/Klaus looks at it and sees it is Carol calling.)

Tyler/Klaus: You incessant woman!

(He answers the phone.)

Tyler/Klaus: Hey, mom. What's up?

Carol: Tyler, thank God. Are – are you okay?

Tyler/Klaus: Fine. Why? What's going on?

Carol: (pouring herself a drink) Pastor Young had me arrested this morning. The Council grilled me on your whereabouts. Tyler, don't tell me where you are, the less I know the better.

Tyler/Klaus: Mom, I'm okay. Relax.

Carol: You didn't answer your phone, honey. I was so scared that you were with Caroline.

Tyler/Klaus: Why? What happened to Caroline?

Carol: The Council took her.

Tyler/Klaus: What do you mean they took her?

ON THE ROAD

(A black van is being escorted by two police cars; one in front and one in back. Inside the van, Rebekah wakes up; Caroline is sitting beside her and watching her Willow is sitting beside her Struggling to burn the Robes. Rebekah struggles to get out of the ropes tying her down.)

Caroline: Vervain ropes. Looks like Alaric outed us all to the Council( Surprised that Willow isn't affected by the Vervain Robes).

Rebekah: The Council? What exactly do they think they can do to me?

(Suddenly, the wheels of the van start to screech. The van flips Caroline and Rebekah go flying. The van lands on its side. The Three girls are fine, but in shock.)

Rebekah: What the hell happened?

(Outside of the van, one of the police cars has been completely destroyed and another silver SUV is seen with its front end smashed in. The other police car that was escorting the van; which is further up the road; whips around and starts to drive back towards the van. Meanwhile, Klaus breaks off the back door of the van and goes in to rescue Caroline.)

Caroline: (in shock) Tyler?

Tyler/Klaus: I'm harder to kill than you think.

(He rips off the vervain ropes tying her down.)

Caroline: (crying) You're alive? How are you alive?

(He finishes ripping off the ropes and helps her up.)

Tyler/Klaus: No time. Come on, we've got to go.

Rebekah: Wait, what about me us?

(Tyler/Klaus looks down at her and Willow)

Tyler/Klaus: Keep them busy, little sister.

(Tyler/Klaus gets up and leaves. Rebekah is shocked by this revelation.)

Rebekah: No. That's not possible!

Willow: Oh that was Klaus in Tyler's body Bonnie must have done that( Struggling to burn her robes off and finally getting them off she goes over to Rebekah who struggles to free herself but gives up they were both Shot in the back .)

GILBERT HOUSE

(Damon is picking up stuff that was knocked over in the commotion. Sheriff Forbes enters the house.)

Damon: They're gone. Whoever nailed Rebekah, took them too. Please tell me you have something. Anything.

(Meredith walks out of the kitchen and into the living room.)

Liz: I can't. The Council locked Carol and me out of our offices. Files, computers, everything.

Damon: So, the Mayor and the Sheriff never contemplated a backup plan, Liz?

Meredith: Damon, relax. When Caroline called to say she got away; did she know where they were planning to take her?

Liz: No. Just that she was in some van in the middle of nowhere and she managed to escape.

Damon: Perfect. We've narrowed it down to nowhere.

(Someone knocks on the front door. Matt enters the house.)

Matt: Hey, is Elena here?

(Damon turns around and rushes towards Matt. He grabs him by the throat and pins him up against the wall; choking him.)

Damon: In what world are you the one that gets to live?!

(Meredith tries to pull Damon off of him.)

Meredith: Damon, stop! It wasn't his fault!

Liz: Let him go, Damon! Now!

(Matt tries to pry Damon's arms off his throat. Damon releases him. Matt breathes heavily.)

PASTOR YOUNG'S CATTLE RANCH

(Elena is in the small house. She is chewing on her fingernails. The Pastor turns the fire on the stove on.)

Pastor Young: You still want to be a writer? I remember how you'd read your short stories to my daughter when you'd babysit. She still loves writing because of you.

Elena: Why did you bring me here?

Pastor Young: My deputies can watch out for us here. No vampires have been invited in. Look, Elena, I know it sounds crazy, but years ago it was your parents who were advocating having an emergency plan like this. I never thought we'd actually have to use it.

(Elena can hear the ticking noise of a clock and panics slightly.)

Pastor Young: Elena? Elena, you okay?

(Elena collects herself.)

Elena: Where's Stefan?

Pastor Young: Where he can't hurt you.

Elena: He would never hurt me. You have no idea what you're talking about.

Pastor Young: Well, I know that wherever you go, Salvatore vampires seem to follow. You hungry?

Elena: No.

(Pastor Young pulls out a tray from the fridge.)

Pastor Young: So, we'll hold Stefan until Damon comes searching for you two. We'll use Rebekah to lure her siblings back into town. You'll give us the white oak stake and then we will exterminate the entire vampire race for good.

(Pastor Young places a giant steak in front of Elena. Elena looks at it and starts to breathe heavily.)

Pastor Young: Is something wrong? Elena, are you okay?

(Elena looks at Pastor Young's neck.)

Elena: Yeah.

(All of the sounds around her are intensified and she starts to panic.)

Elena: No, I've got to get out of here.

(She gets up and runs out of the house. She runs across the yard, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. Pastor Young follows her outside; he stays on the front porch.)

Pastor Young: Get her!

(Elena continues to run but is blinded by the sunlight. A man hits her in the face with a wooden object and she blacks out.)

THE WOODS

(Caroline super speeds Tyler/Klaus into a tree and they begin to make out.)

Caroline: I never thought I'd see you again! I don't get it. How are you alive?

Tyler/Klaus: This is going to sound incredible, but I….

(Caroline silences him with a kiss.)

Tyler/Klaus: But…

(Tyler/Klaus stops trying to talk and super speeds Caroline into a tree. They continue to kiss. Caroline helps Tyler/Klaus take off his jacket and shirt. Tyler/Klaus pulls away.)

Tyler/Klaus: Easy, love. Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong equipment.

Caroline: But you're miraculously alive. We're fugitives on the run. All signs point to hot hybrid vampire sex.

(Caroline removes her jacket and continues to kiss him. She super speeds him into another tree. She pulls away for a minute to take her shirt off. She starts kissing him again, but suddenly stops.)

Caroline: Did you just call me love?

Tyler/Klaus: I don't know, love. Did I?

Caroline: What the hell did you do to Tyler?!

(Caroline removes her hands from Tyler/Klaus neck and pushes them against his chest in anger.)

Tyler/Klaus: That's what I enjoy about you. So much more than a pretty face.

Caroline: Oh my God, you're Klaus. You're disgusting!

(Caroline takes her hands off him completely and backs away.)

Tyler/Klaus: And you're a glorious kisser.

(Caroline slaps him.)

Tyler/Klaus: Listen, I didn't have to risk exposure to come save you.

(Caroline turns around and starts to put her shirt back on.)

Caroline: Oh, you do one semi-decent thing and now you're my hero? Oh, I need to go sanitize my mouth!

Tyler/Klaus: Your mouth was all over me. I was an innocent victim.

(Caroline faces him.)

Caroline: Put Tyler back!

Tyler/Klaus: Gladly. Then maybe I'll take you up on your offer of hot hybrid sex.

(Tyler/Klaus looks at her, smirks and walks away.)

ABANDONED WITCH HOUSE

(Bonnie is reciting a spell. Jeremy is pacing back and forth in front of her. She stops chanting.)

Bonnie: The spirits aren't listening.

Jeremy: Was that it? Is that all we can do?

Bonnie: There's something else I could try.

Jeremy: What? Do it.

(Bonnie gets up with the spellbook.)

Bonnie: If the witches won't help me save Elena, then maybe I can go to the Other Side and bring her back myself.

Jeremy: The Other Side? The Other Side is for dead people.

Bonnie: She's still in transition. Not fully dead, not fully alive. What if her spirit still exists on both sides?

Jeremy: Even if it does, how can you get there? You're not dead.

(Bonnie says nothing. Jeremy realizes what she is going to do and walks towards her.)

Jeremy: No! No, Bonnie!

Bonnie: I was able to stop your heart to stop Klaus'; I'll do the same thing to myself. Witches have free reign on the Other Side. I will find Elena and I will bring her back with me.

Jeremy: Assuming you wake up!

Bonnie: I'm stronger now. I found a new source of power.

Jeremy: A new source of power?! What kind of power is going to let you kill yourself and bring someone back with you from the dead?

Bonnie: Do you want Elena back or not?

GILBERT HOUSE

Liz: With your vervain and Alaric's weapons; they could be anywhere.

Damon: Come on, guys, think. It takes a lot to hold a vampire. Reinforced steel, iron doors.

Matt: The Pastor has a cattle ranch. (They all look at Matt.) Those pens could easily be modified.

Meredith: It's remote, it's secluded.

Damon: (To Matt) Well, guess what? Looks like you get a chance to prove how sorry you really are. Let's go.

(Damon and Matt leave the house.)

PASTOR YOUNG'S CATTLE RANCH

(In a barn, Elena wakes up on the floor. She looks around her. Vampires are coughing due to the vervain being ventilated through their cages. Elena sits up while holding her head. Rebekah is in the cage across from her; looking at Elena.)

Rebekah: I thought I killed you.

Elena: Where am I?

Rebekah: They thought you were a vampire, so they stuck you in here with us.

Elena: Where's Stefan?

(Stefan speaks from the cage adjacent to Elena. They can hear each other but cannot see each other.)

Stefan: Elena, I'm right here. Are you okay?

Elena: Stefan.

(Elena tries to pull herself up but is too weak to do so.)

Elena: I didn't feed.

(Stefan looks worried.)

Rebekah: Ahh, I see what's going on here. You died with vampire blood in your system and you didn't feed and now you're locked up in here without a drop of human blood in sight. That is a problem.

Stefan: Just ignore her.

Rebekah: Has anyone done the math or shall I? I'd say you've got less than three hours to feed before I get to watch you die all over again.

(Elena tries to breaks through the bars.)

Rebekah: My day just got a whole lot better.

(Elena stops. She's beginning to get Willow in the Cage Next to her knocked out)

Elena: Willow Please Wake up( Watching as Willow wakes up and Gasps as she Pulls wooden bullets out of her lower back)

Willow: Elena you are Here what Happened.

Elena: The council has rounded up all of us that are Vampires they are Planning to kill all of us.

Stefan: How are you here Willow you not a Vampire.

Willow: I am a Vampire Now Stefan Alaric almost Killed me with a Stake to the heart and thanks to Rebekah's Blood but Its was to later to save my Mortal side so I became a Vampire Again so here we are.

Stefan: No Willow you don't deserve this Neither one of you deserves this we will get out from here I promise

ABANDONED WITCH HOUSE

(Bonnie and Jeremy are sitting on the floor. Bonnie has his hands in hers. She is reciting a spell. The spirits are whispering to them. Jeremy opens his eyes and sees that Bonnie's nose is bleeding profusely.)

Jeremy: Oh my God.

(Bonnie continues to chant the spell as the spirits get louder. Jeremy looks worried.)

Jeremy: Bonnie. Bonnie, open your eyes. Bonnie, I can't let you do this! Bonnie, you're dying!

(Bonnie begins to chant louder. Black veins start to creep up her arms.)

Jeremy: What the hell is that?!

(Bonnie starts to hyperventilate, than she dies. Jeremy rushes towards her.)

Jeremy: Bonnie, no! Bonnie! Bonnie, wake up! Bonnie! Wake up!

IN THE BARN

(Bonnie is in the cage and sees Elena, sitting on the floor with her eyes closed. She walks over towards her.)

Bonnie: Elena.

(She kneels down next to Elena and takes her arms in her hands.)

Bonnie: Come back. Come back.

(Elena opens her eyes. Bonnie pulls her up. Elena can't see Bonnie and is unsure of what is happening.)

Elena: Stefan. Stefan, something's happening.

(Stefan looks at the wall dividing him and Elena.)

Bonnie: We're going home.

(Suddenly, Grams appears behind the bars of Elena's cage.)

Grams: No!

(Bonnie drops Elena's arms. Elena falls back down on the floor; too weak to stand on her own.)

Bonnie: Grams? What are you doing?

Gram: You can't be in here. You stay away from this sort of darkness.

Bonnie: Elena needs me.

(Grams is suddenly standing right in front of Bonnie instead of behind the bars of the cage.)

Grams: She is not your problem to solve. Now, go! Before they try to keep you here.

Bonnie: Grams, please.

Grams: This magic is dark, Bonnie. It is not nature's plan. Touch it again and the spirits will unleash their anger in ways that will make you suffer. Stay away. GO!

ABANDONED WITCH HOUSE

Jeremy: Bonnie, wake up! Wake up! Come on. Open your eyes.

(Bonnie opens her eyes.)

Jeremy: You're awake!

(Jeremy pulls her up into a sitting position and holds her.)

Jeremy: You're alive.

Bonnie: I couldn't do it. It didn't work.

IN THE BARN

Elena: Stefan.

Stefan: What happened?

Elena: I'm out of time. I need blood. I'm dying.

(Stefan is worried. Elena is breathing heavily. Stefan pulls himself up off the ground.)

Stefan: Hey! Anyone, hey!

Rebekah: Will you shut up?!

Stefan: You think we're afraid of you?

(An officer opens the barn door and walks up to Stefan's cage.)

Officer: You want more vervain? Keep it down.

Stefan: Listen to me. Elena's gonna die if you don't let her out of here.

(The officer glances at Elena who is in bad shape. He looks back at Stefan.)

Officer: Sorry, not my problem.

Willow: She's innocent. Let her out.

(The officer begins to walk away. Stefan rushes towards the other side of the cage.)

Stefan: (shouting) Let her out!

(The officer shoots Stefan in the stomach and he falls to the ground.)

Elena: Stop!

(Stefan gets back up and rushes back to the bars.)

Stefan: I said, let her out!

(The officer shoots him again, this time in the leg. He leaves the barn. Stefan falls to the ground again. Rebekah watches him.)

ABANDONED WITCH HOUSE

(Tyler/Klaus and Caroline have come to the house to see Bonnie about getting Klaus out of Tyler's body.)

Jeremy: She said she's not strong enough.

Tyler/Klaus: You were strong enough to put me in here. Surely, you're strong enough to get me out.

Bonnie: I upset the spirits trying to save Elena. I can't use that kind of magic again. It's too dangerous.

Tyler/Klaus: Bonnie, do the bloody spell!

Caroline: She said she can't okay?

(Tyler/Klaus turns around and looks at Caroline.)

Caroline: We'll just wait a few days until you're strong enough to do it with traditional magic, right Bonnie?

(Tyler/Klaus rips open his shirt, takes a deep breath, and extends his claws on his right hand. He punctures his chest with his claws and grabs Tyler's heart and begins to rip it out.)

Caroline: What are you doing?

Tyler/Klaus: Ripping Tyler's heart out. I'll jump into someone else. (He turns to Jeremy.) Maybe you.

(He continues to tear out Tyler's heart.)

Bonnie: Oh my God.

Caroline: You're hurting him! Stop! Stop!

Jeremy: He's bluffing. He needs a witch to do that.

Tyler/Klaus: What makes you think I don't have one? Or ten? Pick, Bonnie! You or Tyler!

(He has almost successfully torn open his chest.)

Caroline: Stop, please! You're killing him!

Bonnie: Fine, I'll do it! Just stop.

(Tyler/Klaus takes his hand out from his chest.)

Tyler/Klaus: Good. Let's begin.

IN THE BARN

(Stefan drags himself over to the wall dividing him from Elena. He pulls the wooden bullet out of his leg.)

Stefan: Elena? You still with me?

(Elena is sitting on the other side of the wall. She has grown even paler and is breathing heavily.)

Elena: Yeah. Yeah, I'm here. I'm okay.

Stefan: No, you're not. I can hear you breathing. Damon was right, you should have fed this morning. I'm so sorry.

Elena: Don't be. You had hope. That's all I ever wanted you to have and you had it.

Stefan: I love you so much.

Elena: Do you know why I was even on that bridge? I was coming back for you, Stefan. I had to choose and I picked you.

(Stefan starts to cry silent tears.)

Elena: Because I love you. No matter what happens, it's the best choice I ever made.

(Elena places her hand against the wall dividing them.)

Elena: God. It sucks that I can't see you right now.

Stefan: I'm smiling.

Elena: Me too.

(Rebekah looks saddened by the fact that Stefan may lose Elena. Elena takes her hand away from the wall and closes her eyes.)

OUTSIDE THE PASTOR'S HOUSE

(Damon and Matt get out of Damon's car and walk towards the house.)

Matt: So, what, we just storm the place with zero weapons?

Damon: Nah, we don't need weapons. Just bait.

(Damon rushes towards Matt and bites his neck. Matt falls to the ground, groaning in pain.)

Damon: Yoo-hoo! Anybody home? Big, bad vampire out here.

(Pastor Young opens the front door and sees Matt on the ground, bleeding.)

Pastor Young: Let him go. The boy's innocent.

Damon: Well, that's the point. Give me Stefan and Elena, he's all yours.

(Damon grabs Matt by the scruff of his shirt and picks him up.)

Damon: Come on, Pastor. You know I'll kill him. I want to kill him.

Pastor Young: Go away! You are not invited in and I'm not coming out!

(Damon is suddenly shot in the chest and falls to the ground.)

ABANDONED WITCH HOUSE

(Bonnie is performing the spell to get Klaus out of Tyler's body and back into his. She has her hands on the side of Tyler's head. Caroline and Jeremy look worried.)

Jeremy: This is black magic. She shouldn't be doing this.

(Tyler opens his eyes and looks up.)

Caroline: Tyler?

Tyler: (smiling) Caroline. Hey.

(Tyler tries to get up, but falls down to the ground.)

Caroline: Tyler?

(Caroline rushes to his side. Bonnie is still chanting.)

Jeremy: Bonnie, what are you doing?

(Bonnie stops chanting. Her Grams appears in front of her.)

Grams: I warned you, child. I warned you to stay away.

Jeremy: Bonnie, it worked. Stop.

(Grams and Bonnie are holding hands.)

Bonnie: What's happening? Let me go!

Grams: I can't.

Bonnie: Let me go!

Caroline: Bonnie, what's happening?

(Dark veins start creeping down Bonnie's arm towards her Grams' and suddenly appear on her arms as well.)

Bonnie: Okay, let her go!

Grams: You made your choice. Now they're taking it out on me!

(The veins creep up Grams' face and she begins to scream in pain.)

Bonnie: I'm sorry, Grams! They can't do this to you! Please, don't do this to her!

Caroline: Bonnie, stop!

Bonnie: No! No! Oh my God!

(Grams disappears and Bonnie falls down on her knees, crying. Jeremy gets down next to her and tries to comfort her.)

Bonnie: What have I done?! What did I do?! What did I do? What did I do?

IN THE BARN

(The officers come back in; carrying more vervain with them. Stefan and Rebekah look at each other and Rebekah nods her head.)

Officer: I got this. Bring the other one in.

(The other officer leaves the barn.)

Rebekah: Excuse me? Hello, sir?

(Rebekah starts pretending to cough. The officer loads his gun and walks over to her cage.)

Officer: I thought I told you to shut up.

Rebekah: Here's the thing, my family we – we have money, castles, apartments, jewelry; just name your price and let me out.

(The officer gets closer to the cage.)

Officer: I'd much rather watch you die.

(Rebekah gets up and rushes towards the bars. The officer is startled and pulls out his gun but he falls back towards the bars of Stefan's cage. Stefan grabs him and slams the officer's head repeatedly against the bars until he starts to bleed. He drops the now dead officer on the floor towards Elena's cage. Elena is still sitting on the ground. She sees the dead officer lying close to her cage.)

Willow: Elena. Elena!

(Elena sees the blood slowly spreading across the floor. She reaches her hand out and reaches for the blood that is pouring from the wound. She reaches as far as she can, but still cannot get close enough to get any blood. The blood is still running towards her and finally, she is able to place her fingertips in it. She puts her hand to her mouth and licks the blood off her fingers. She starts to regain the color in her face.)

OUTSIDE THE PASTOR'S HOUSE

(Damon is lying in the grass. Two officers come around the corner with their guns out. They approach Damon's body. One of the officers gently nudges Damon with his foot. Damon doesn't move. Suddenly though, Damon gets up and grabs the guns out of the officers hands. He kills both of them by snapping the neck of one of them and stabbing the other one with his own gun. Matt is still on the ground nearby. Damon walks over to him and kicks him hard.)

Matt: Go ahead and kill me. You can't possibly hate me more than I hate myself.

Damon: Oh, yes I can.

(Damon places his foot on Matt's throat and begins to push down.)

Damon: It should have been you.

(Out of nowhere, someone rushes towards Damon and knocks him off of Matt. It's Elena and she is vamped out.)

Elena: Leave him alone!

IN THE BARN

(Matt stumbles into the barn and falls to the ground. Stefan runs over to him and feeds him his blood. Matt pushes his arm away and sits up.)

Matt: Just stop! Stop saving me.

Stefan: What the hell is your problem?

Matt: What do you want me to say? Thank you? Cause honestly, I wish you'd have just let me drown.

Stefan: What, you think you were my first choice?

Matt: Elena's a vampire, because of me. I have to live with that every day for the rest of my life.

Stefan: No, no, no, you don't have to live with that; you get to live with that. Because Elena put your life before her own. So every morning you get out of bed, you sure as hell better earn it.

(Stefan leaves.)

OUTSIDE THE PASTOR'S HOUSE

(Elena and Damon walk towards his car.)

Elena: You were gonna kill him.

Damon: Yep. Guy just won't die.

Elena: It was my choice to save him. Why aren't you seeing that?

Damon: It's a little hard to keep track of all your choices lately, Elena.

(Damon starts to walk away.)

Elena: I remember everything.

(Damon stops.)

Elena: One of the highlights of my transition: remembering everything that you compelled me to forget.

(Damon walks back over to her.)

Elena: Like how you and I met first. You were a stranger that told me you wanted me to get everything I wanted from life. Damon, why didn't you tell me?

Damon: Would it have made a difference?

(Elena says nothing.)

Damon: I didn't think so.

Elena: You asked me to make a choice, Damon. So I did. If you're gonna be mad, then take it out on me. Not on Stefan or Matt or anyone else. Me.

Damon: Are we done here?

Elena: If it had been you at the bridge last night and not Stefan and I begged you to save Matt...?

Damon: I would have saved you! In a heartbeat, no question.

Elena: That's what I thought. And then Matt would be dead, because you couldn't let go. Matt would be dead!

Damon: But you wouldn't be! And you would have gotten to grow up and had the life that you wanted; the life that you deserved. And I know that I didn't use to get that but I do now and I wanted that for you, Elena, and I would have gladly have given it to you and let Matt die; because I am that selfish. But you knew that already. The first night we met is not all that you remember.

(He walks away.)

(Willow walking over to Elena as Elena Hugs her)

Elena: I'm So Sorry that you are a Vampire Willow you didn't deserve this.

Willow: I know and neither did you but it happened and we can't keep feeling sorry for ourselves we Move on Elena and be grateful that we are still alive to live our Life somehow.

Elena: Yeah this will be another chance for all of us to have a Normal as much as Possible Life.

Willow: Lets go Home Elena.

KLAUS MANSION

(Klaus is putting the last three bags of Elena's blood in an ice box. Rebekah rushes into the room. She is in tears.)

Rebekah: How dare you save Caroline over me!

Klaus: Hello brother. Thought you were dead. So pleased you're not.

Rebekah: You left me!

Klaus: I only had time to save one of you and you can't be killed. Rest assured, I had a worse day than you. I think it's time for us to move on; find some more werewolves.

Rebekah: So you can create your hybrid family? You don't know anything about family!

Klaus: Well, I know how easily they can be silenced with a dagger.

(Rebekah grabs one of the blood bags and throws it against the wall.)

Klaus: NO!

(Klaus turns to face Rebekah. She has the last two blood bags in her hands.)

Klaus: Drop them.

Rebekah: I mourned you! My heart broke thinking I'd never see you again!

Klaus: Put the blood down, Rebekah. There's a good girl.

Rebekah: It's always been me! Not Finn, not Elijah, not Kol, me! I loved you through everything and you don't even care!

Klaus: Drop it!

Rebekah: You want your family?

(Rebekah squeezes the blood bags and they burst; leaving no more blood for Klaus to make hybrids.)

Rebekah: Here's your family!

(Klaus rushes towards Rebekah and grabs her by the throat.)

Klaus: You know something, Rebekah, you're right. I don't care. From this moment on; you're not my family, you're not my sister, you are nothing.

(Klaus snaps Rebekah's neck and walks out of the room.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Elena and Stefan are sitting on the roof of the house together.)

Elena: The whole Council knows who we are now. Everything's about to change.

Stefan: Yeah, I'm sure Damon has a revenge plan cooked up. (He places his hand on Elena's back.) We'll figure out a way to deal with that.

Elena: You don't have to convince me that everything is gonna be okay.

Stefan: I know. Wish I could though. Wish I could just tell you that you'll never feel pain, that you'll never crave blood. But you will. It'll be the worst thing that you've ever lived through.

Elena: But I'll get to live. (She puts her arm on Stefan's shoulder.) I'll be a sister and a friend and I'll be with you. Forever, if I want.

(They kiss.)

Elena: I'm gonna get through this. Just like we get through everything; one day at a time. We should get inside before sunrise.

Stefan: Bonnie made this for you yesterday.

(Stefan pulls out a daylight ring and shows it to Elena.)

Stefan: Just in case.

Elena: Daylight ring?

(Stefan puts the ring on her finger.)

Stefan: One day at a time, right?

(He smiles. Elena nods and smiles too. Elena kisses him and places her forehead against his. She rests her head on his shoulder and they watch the sun begin to rise.)

PASTOR YOUNG'S HOUSE

(Pastor Young releases the gas hose from the back of his stove. The Council is in the house with him.)

Pastor Young: Folks, by now, you know that the vampires have escaped.

(There is vervain lying on the table. The Council members are passing it around to each other.)

Pastor Young: And it won't be long before they retaliate against us. But fear not; (He locks the front door.) For I have been chosen to lead us in a movement.

Council Member: What are you talking about?

Pastor Young: Hear me, loved ones. Soon you'll be free to pass through the gates. (He pulls a lighter out of his pocket.) And we'll all reunite in eternity.

Council Member: Seriously, Pastor, what's going on here?

Pastor Young: Friends. We are the beginning.

(He lights the lighter. The Council members scream with fear. The kitchen is set ablaze.


	2. Memorial

**Memorial**

THE WOODS

(Stefan and Elena are lying under a blanket on the floor of the woods. Elena wakes up, looks at Stefan and smiles.)

Elena: Hi.

Stefan: Hi.

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Stefan is packing up stuff for a camping trip in the woods. Damon is in the room with him.)

Damon: You're making a big mistake.

Stefan: No, I'm not. If I can get Elena used to animal blood right out the gate.

Damon: You're reaching.

Stefan: Maybe she'll be able to bypass all the things that we went through.

Damon: Delusional!

Stefan: Maybe she actually has a shot at this.

Damon: Wrong. You're just wrong, Stefan.

Stefan: She won't be able to handle it if she hurts someone, Damon. Her compassion is her Achilles heel and everything is magnified right now.

Damon: Then you better hope she's not a fan of Bambi.

THE WOODS

(Stefan and Elena are walking through the woods. They see a deer eating nearby. Elena breathes heavily.)

Stefan: Close your eyes.

(She looks up at Stefan, than closes her eyes. Stefan rushes at the deer and Elena opens her eyes and gasps.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Damon stabs a knife into the table.)

Damon: She needs human blood, Stefan, from the vein.

Stefan: Oh, come on, you know what happens. You name me a vampire who didn't kill at least one person when they were new.

(Damon gets up.)

Damon: You name me one who went on a bunny diet and didn't kill dozens.

THE WOODS

(Elena drinks the blood from the deer. The blood is all over her face as she pulls away from its neck and breathes heavily.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Stefan: If she kills someone, she will crumble. How much pain do you think she could take before she shuts off her humanity switch?

Damon: It happens to the best of us at least once. We get over it, Stefan. A hundred years or so.

THE WOODS

(Elena gets up from the ground. The deer runs off. She watches it leave; still looking traumatized by the feed.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Stefan: No, I think I'd like her to skip that part.

(Damon starts unpacking the bags that Stefan was packing for the trip in the woods.)

Damon: She can't learn to control the bloodlust, if she's never actually experienced the bloodlust.

Stefan: What are you doing? Knock it off.

(Damon continues to unpack the bag.)

Damon: It's a cheat. It's like giving a kid a calculator before they know math.

Stefan: I said stop it!

(Stefan grabs Damon's arm. Damon pushes his arm off of him. They stare each other down.)

THE WOODS

(Elena touches the blood around her mouth and cries.)

Stefan: Don't worry, he'll heal. Bigger animals are more resilient.

(Elena turns and faces Stefan.)

Stefan: Hey. (Stefan dabs at the blood around Elena's mouth with a cloth.) You did it. I know it's hard. (He caresses her face.) But you can do this.

(Elena cries, but nods her head confidently.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Elena enters Stefan's room. Damon and Stefan are still staring at each other.)

Elena: Woah, what's going on?

Stefan: We're just having a little disagreement about process.

Elena: You're still not on board with the animal plan.

(Stefan stops the stare down with Damon and goes back to packing the bag.)

Damon: Nope. I say rip off the proverbial band-aid and let it bleed. You're a vampire, Elena, be a vampire.

(Stefan finishes packing and walksover towards Elena.)

Stefan: Ready to go?

(Elena nods. They both start to leave.)

Damon: Vampires eat people!

(Stefan and Elena stop in the doorway and look at him.)

Damon: It's part of the natural food pyramid. Trust me, you're going to be miserable.

(Stefan leaves. Elena stands there for a second, then follows Stefan.)

THE WOODS

(Stefan is standing behind Elena. He is trying to teach her how to use her super speed.)

Elena: (giggles) I can't do it.

Stefan: Alright, it's like the starting line of a race, right? So you just push off with every ounce of strength that you have.

Elena: Yeah, but I was a cheerleader. I sucked at track.

Stefan: Just concentrate, okay? You can do it.

(Elena crouches into a running position and breathes out. Stefan places his hands around her waist.)

Elena: I can't. All I can think about is your hands on my body.

Stefan: Oh, okay.

(Stefan takes his hands off from around her waist. She grabs his hands and puts them back around her.)

Elena: No, no, no. I - I didn't say to take them off. It feels good.

Stefan: Yeah. What does it feel like?

Elena: It feels like you're touching every nerve on my body.

(Stefan runs his hand up and down Elena's arm and waist.)

Stefan: Everything is heightened. Taste, smell, sight, touch.

(Stefan starts to kiss Elena's neck. She has an expression of pleasure on her face. She grabs Stefan's face and they begin to kiss passionately. She jumps up and puts her legs around his waist. Stefan super speeds them together into a tree. Elena places herself back down on the ground as they continue to kiss. Stefan unzips Elena's jacket and unbuttons her pants. Elena helps Stefan take off his shirt. Elena kisses his chest then moves back to his lips. They kiss for a while longer, when suddenly Elena stops and pushes Stefan away. Stefan looks worried. Elena rushes off into the woods and falls to the ground. She pukes up the animal blood.)

PASTOR YOUNG'S CABIN

(A man enters the house which has crime scene tape around the door and numbers lying on the floor where the bodies were found. He searches around the house with a flashlight in hand. He makes his way over to the stove and sees the gas line has been taken out of it. There is a short flashback to Pastor Young removing the hose from the stove. Connor moves the flashlight to the floor where a burnt lighter lies. Another flashback shows Pastor Young lighting the lighter and the kitchen becoming engulfed in flames. Connor opens the oven door on the stove. Inside he finds a letter with the name April on it. He opens up the letter and glances at it. He proceeds to leave the house with the letter.)

MYSTIC GRILL

(Damon is sitting at the bar, drinking alone. Sheriff Forbes comes up next to him and pulls out a chair.)

Damon: That seat's taken.

(Sheriff Forbes throws down a newspaper in front of Damon and moves to his other side. Damon takes the paper and reads the headline.)

Damon: 'Faulty gas line leads to tragic explosion at Young farm.' (He throws the paper down.) Really?

Liz: Better than 'Town Council blown up. Police have no suspects.' Unless the perpetrator is right next to me.

(Liz looks up at Damon. Damon takes a swig of his drink.)

Damon: Well, don't look at me. I always take credit for killing people.

(Liz continues to stare at Damon. Damon puts down his drink.)

Damon: Seriously, stop looking at me like that, Liz. If I was going to kill twelve people, I wouldn't blow them up, I'd have a dinner party.

Liz: The explosion was sparked from inside. This wasn't an accident.

Damon: You say that like it's a bad thing.

(Connor enters the Grill and sees Sheriff Forbes talking to Damon.)

Damon: The Council's dead, Liz. I see that as a win.

Liz: I've known some of the Council since I was a kid. They were my friends.

Damon: Well, your friends tried to kill your daughter.

(Damon sees Connor approaching.)

Damon: Who's the new guy?

Connor: Excuse me, Sheriff. Hi, um, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute about the explosion at the Young farm.

Liz: I'm sorry, Mr..?

Connor: Oh, Connor Jordan.

(Connor holds his hand out to her. He is wearing a black glove. Liz takes his hand and shakes it.)

Liz: Are you with the insurance investigators?

Connor: No, no, I'm more of an independent contractor.

(Connor looks at Damon.)

Connor: Can we speak in private?

Liz: Sure.

Connor: Thanks.

(Connor walks away. Liz looks at Damon and follows Connor.)

Damon: (to himself) Nice to meet you too, Mr. Busybody Guy.

(Willow walks in to the bar sitting down beside Damon Patting his back)

Willow: Hey Damon what has you so Mad.

Damon: Oh Stefan has Elena drinking blood from a Animal you supposed to start drinking from the vein because if you don't you will end up as a Ripper like Stefan Not being able to control it and they are not listening to me.

Willow: The Human Vein agrees with me just fine Um if you want I can contact the Local Blood drive that I've done some Blood drives and see if they still have it maybe My Blood could help her a Little do you think.

Damon: I forgot that your Blood taste sweeter then Normal Humans because of you being Mage Maybe It will work you just got to give it a try and I'm Proud of you taking the Human blood diet.

Willow: I'm Not Killing anyone just eat, Snatch and erase just Like you once taught me and there is the Blood bags too.

Damon: Good Job

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

(Jeremy and Matt are putting boxes into the back of a car.)

Matt: So, what are these again?

Jeremy: They're paper lanterns. The student council made them for after the Memorial. We light them up in honor of all the dead.

(Jeremy and Matt walk over to the remainder of the boxes.)

Matt: Nobody thought fire might be a little inappropriate.

Jeremy: Yeah, I wouldn't make that crack in front of Elena.

Matt: How is she?

Jeremy: I guess she's fine, considering.

Matt: If there's anything I can do, you know, short of giving her a ride, you'll let me know, right? I'm only alive because she told Stefan to save me first. She's a vampire because of me, so I'd like to pay it back or forward or whatever.

Jeremy: Yeah.

(They grab another couple of boxes and start walking back to the car. A young girl approaches them and they stop.)

April: Jeremy?

(Jeremy looks at her, confused.)

April: Picture an emo pixie cut and braces.

Jeremy: April?

April: Yeah.

(Jeremy puts down the box and walks over to her.)

Jeremy: You look great! (To Matt) You remember April? Elena used to…

Matt: Elena used to babysit you. Yeah, I remember.

April: Yeah, before I got shipped off to boarding school by my dad.

Jeremy: Your dad. Oh my God, I am so sorry about your dad.

April: Thank you. I guess. I sort of don't know how to answer when people say that.

Matt: Your dad was Pastor Young, right?

April: He had the faulty gas line.

(Matt looks down awkwardly.)

April: Sorry, I haven't figured out what to say about that yet either. Wow, I am being a freak. Um… I'm just, you know, not much for grief, I guess. I have to go register or something, I think. (To herself.) Stupid.

(She walks away, quickly. Matt and Jeremy watch her leave.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Elena is leaving a message for Willow on her phone.)

Elena: Hey, Willow, it's me. I'm back, I um- can you call me? I've been having some (whispers) adjustment issues.

(Stefan walks into his room. Elena hangs up her phone.)

Elena: Hey.

Stefan: Hi.

(Stefan has a bottle of champagne and two glasses in his hands.)

Elena: What's that for?

Stefan: This is from the year you were born. I think we should celebrate.

Elena: Celebrate what?

Stefan: Your first feed. I know it was disgusting and traumatic and it was horrible, but you did it anyway.

(Stefan walks over to her with the glasses and champagne.)

Stefan: You survived it.

Elena: Well, um, I wouldn't say I survived it. It actually kind of made me sick.

Stefan: Listen, I choked it down for a month before I could stomach the taste. It gets easier. (He holds out the champagne.) This, on the other hand, will go down like silk.

(They both smile.)

Elena: You're so cheery.

Stefan: Yeah, because you're here and you're alive – ish. And you're gonna get through this.

(Elena nods.)

Stefan: So, would you like to do the honors?

Elena: Okay.

(Elena pops out the cork and it flies across the room. She screams and laughs. Stefan laughs with her. The champagne is overflowing.)

Elena: Oh my gosh.

(Stefan pours the champagne into the glasses. They clink them together.)

Stefan: Cheers.

(They kiss, until Stefan's phone goes off. It's Damon. He answers it.)

Stefan: Perfect timing, Damon. Yeah, we just got back. What?

MYSTIC GRILL

(Elena approaches Damon and Willow at the bar.)

Elena: Did you do it?

(She begins to sit down.)

Damon: That seat's taken.

Elena: But there's no one here.

Damon: Well, I'm just going to pretend like there's someone there, because the alternative is just too damn depressing.

(She moves to his other side and sits down.)

Elena: Did you set off the explosion that killed the Town Council?

Willow: Why does everyone ask him that.

Damon: Am I wearing my "I Blew Up The Council" t-shirt, why does everybody keep asking me that?

Elena: Did you?

Damon: No. Anything else?

(Elena hesitates.)

Elena: Yes, something's wrong. I can't keep any of the animal blood down.

Damon: Well, there's a shock.

Elena: I think I need your help Willow.

Damon: (sighs) Of course you do. Pick your meal. (Damon points to a person sitting out of view.) You've got Asian fusion. (He puts somewhere else.) Mexican. What about some good old American comfort food?

Elena: No. No, no human blood. Stefan's right, I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone.

Willow: Come with Me Elena Maybe I can try something( Pulling her along in the Bathroom as Damon follows them and Locks the door Willow digging in her bag Pulls out a Blood bag and rips the top off and Poars some in a little cup and giving it to Elena) Here take this at small sips and tell me what you think.

Elena: Are you sure( Taking the cup of Blood)

Willow: Go ahead and try it ( she and Damon watch as Elena drinks the blood with Worry on there face)

Damon: So how is it Elena.

Elena:( Feeling the Hunger in her go down feeling better without feeling sick) Wow this blood is amazing I'm not feeling sick at all Thank you Willow How did you know that this blood would help me.

Willow: Its Just a Feeling( Giving her the whole bag) Just Remember Elena to Call me for More Blood and you have to let Stefan Now so he can also supply you with some.

Elena: Thank you Willow( Putting the Bag in her Purse and walks out of the bathroom)

Damon: That was amazing what you did for her she is Lucky to have a friend Like you I know I am.

Willow: Its What I'm Here for to help when ever I can.

LOCKWOOD MANSION

(Tyler and Caroline are in bed together. They are kissing, but Caroline pushes Tyler off of her.)

Caroline: This is wrong. A bunch of people died and we're having sex.

Tyler: Grief sex. It's healthy.

Caroline: It's selfish.

Tyler: It's natural. Besides, if we stopped having sex every time somebody died in this town, we'd explode.

(Tyler begins kissing her again. Caroline pushes him away.)

Caroline: We need to be more sensitive.

(Tyler touches Caroline.)

Caroline: Tyler.

Tyler: Oh, come on.

(They stare at each other for a moment.)

Tyler: I love you. How's that for sensitive?

Caroline: I love you too.

(They laugh and place their foreheads together. They begin kissing again. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Tyler looks up.)

Tyler: Who the hell is that?

(Carol answers the door downstairs. Connor is outside.)

Carol: May I help you?

Connor: Good evening. I'm hoping I can help you actually. I spoke with Sheriff Forbes earlier. My name is Connor Jordan.

(He reaches his hand out. Carol shakes it.)

Carol: Carol Lockwood. I know who you are, Connor, and I believe the Sheriff made it clear that the tragedy at the farmhouse was an internal matter.

Connor: That's one way of looking at it, I guess. Although I prefer the term cover up. Do you mind if I come in?

Carol: You know, I really don't think that's a good idea.

(Connor forces his way in. Carol tries to shut the door on him, but is unsuccessful.)

Carol: Uh, excuse me.

Connor: Thank you. You're aware that it wasn't an accident. Any rookie fireman could tell you that.

Carol: (angrily) What are you? The press?

Connor: Not exactly. So, twelve Council members are dead, you're the Mayor, why weren't you at that meeting?

Carol: It wasn't official town business.

Connor: What was it then?

(Tyler comes downstairs while he is putting his shirt back.)

Tyler: Mom? What's going on?

(Tyler walks around his mom and approaches Connor. Connor turns to face him.)

Tyler: Is there something I could help you with?

Connor: Maybe. How are you doing? I'm Connor.

(He reaches his hand out. Tyler takes it. Tyler's skin starts to burn and he growls in pain. Connor pulls out a pistol and shoots Tyler several times. Tyler falls on the floor and Connor continues to shoot at him. Carol is frantically yelling Tyler's name. Upstairs, Caroline hears the commotion and sits up. She grabs a shirt and starts to leave the room. Back downstairs, Connor is reloading his weapon to fire more bullets at Tyler.)

Carol: Tyler! Oh my God! Tyler! Tyler, run!

(Tyler gets up from the floor, super speeds across the room and smashes through a window. Connor runs out the door after him. Caroline comes down the stairs. They both see a smear of blood on the floor and look at each other in shock.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Stefan is pulling the wooden bullets out of Tyler's torso with a pair of metal tongs. Caroline is standing nearby, watching.)

Caroline: Please tell me that's the last one.

(Stefan observes one of the bullets.)

Stefan: These were specially carved; the length, the width. If you were a normal vampire, you'd be dead.

(Stefan places the wooden bullet in a glass of alcohol to clean it off.)

Tyler: This guy knew what he was doing. His gloves must have been steeped in vervain. He was looking for a vampire and he didn't hesitate for a second when he found one.

Stefan: (observing the bullet) These etchings….

(He touches the bullet, but is burned by it.)

Caroline: Are the bullets spelled?

Stefan: I don't know. They're something.

MYSTIC FALLS CHURCH

(Matt and Elena are laying out memorial pamphlets on the rows of benches in the church. Matt walks up to Elena.)

Matt: How are you feeling? A little strung out?

(He hands her more pamphlets.)

Elena: I'm fine. It's just my emotions are all over the place. Everything's heightened. I mean (She opens up one of the pamphlets) just the sight of all the names of the dead makes me want to cry for a week.

Matt: You didn't have to volunteer.

Elena: People died. People we've known our whole lives, so yeah, I did.

(Elena glances over at the front of the church and sees April sitting on one of the pews.)

Elena: Is that?

Matt: April Young. Yeah.

Elena: Oh, wow.

(Elena walks over to April and sits down next to her.)

Elena: Hey there.

April: Hey. Long time, no see. Not since...

Elena: My parent's funeral.

April: Yeah.

(Elena hugs April.)

Elena: Are you gonna survive this?

April: They want me to speak. I guess all the kids who lost somebody can. What am I supposed to say? I'm sorry my dad didn't fix the gas line? But, if I don't say anything then… I mean, what if nobody does? My dad and I didn't always get along or anything but, everybody still deserves to have nice things said about them at their own funeral, you know? I mean, for my mom's funeral, everybody said these really nice things.

Elena: You say what you want to say or you don't say anything at all. And don't worry about your dad, everyone in this town loved him.

April: Yeah. (She starts to choke up.) Until two days ago.

Elena: Even still.

(Elena takes her hand to comfort her, but soon she feels the hunger rising inside of her and begins to get up.)

Elena: I'm sorry, I… I have to go.

(Elena rushes off. She goes into the bathroom and pukes up the Animal blood in the toilet. She gets up and walks over to the sink. She pukes up more blood. She looks at herself in the mirror and breathes heavily. She sees the blood staining her clothes and dripping down her chin. She begins to get upset and panic.)

BONNIE'S HOUSE

(Bonnie is lying on the couch. Stefan is banging on her front door.)

Stefan: Bonnie? Bonnie, I know you're in there. I can hear you breathing. Bonnie, please, it's important.

(Bonnie gets up and opens the front door.)

Stefan: Hey. You alright?

(Stefan tries to walk in, but can't.)

Stefan: Can I come in, please?

(Bonnie nods her head. Stefan walks in and embraces her. She begins to cry. The two move into the living room to talk.)

Bonnie: My Grams, it was like she was dying all over again. Just because I didn't listen to her about not doing black magic.

Stefan: Well, you're dealing with the Other Side. It's not reliable. Witches were probably just messing with your head trying to teach you a lesson.

Bonnie: Well, it worked. I tried to do a basic nature spell this morning just to clear my head and it just brought it all back. Like it was happening all over again. Sorry, I'm a mess, I've been holed up in here avoiding everyone. I've completely blown off Jamie. (She sighs.) You came here because you needed something, right?

(Stefan gets up to leave.)

Stefan: Yeah, but, it can wait.

Bonnie: No, come on. Stefan, I'm okay. You're not exactly a drop by kind of guy, just… if something's wrong, tell me.

(Stefan sits down next to Bonnie and unwraps a cloth with the wooden bullets from Connor's gun in them.)

Stefan: Alright, these burn to the touch. Could just be steeped in vervain, but this writing, have you ever seen anything like this before?

Bonnie: No. It's not magical writing, if that's what you're thinking.

(He sighs.)

Bonnie: Where'd you get these?

Stefan: I think we have a new vampire hunter in town.

Bonnie: That's bad timing.

MYSTIC FALLS CHURCH

(Elena is still in the bathroom; cleaning up the blood she puked up. She's on the phone with Willow.)

Willow: I'm here. I'm here. Where are you?

Elena: I'm in the basement bathroom.

(The knob on the door starts rattling and turning. Elena looks at it.)

Elena: Is that you at the door?

Willow: Not yet.

(Connor is on the other side of the door. He knocks on it.)

Elena: Sorry, there's someone in here! (To Damon) Damon, hurry.

(Elena turns on the water and continues to clean up the blood on the sink, floor, and toilet. Outside of the bathroom, Damon walks down the stairs and Willow following him with a new dress for Elena to change into. Connor is sitting on a couch outside the bathroom. Damon sees him and stops outside the bathroom door.)

Damon: You again. Stalking small town funerals?

(Elena opens the bathroom door and takes the dress from Willow Pulling her in the bathroom with her.)

Elena: Oh, Willow, thank God.

(Elena looks out the door at Connor.)

Elena: Sorry, I – I spilt coffee all over my dress.

(Connor gets up, looking suspiciously at her. Elena looks at Damon, Damon nods at her and she closes the door to change.)

Connor: (To Damon) We have not met. I'm Connor. Jordan.

(He holds his hand out for Damon to shake.)

Damon: Damon. Germaphobe. (To Elena) Everything okay in there?

Elena: Yeah, just a minute!Willow I need your Help did you bring a Bag with you I am sorry that I'm asking you to do this.

Willow: Elena you are My friend Okay we look out for each other don't worry okay( Giving her a cup full of Blood and watching as she drinks it down)

Elena: Aumm this Blood is tasty( Throwing away the cup in the Trash bend)

(Elena places all of the bloody tissues into a bag. Damon and Connor, outside of the bathroom, continue to stare at each other.)

Damon: So, what brings you to Mystic Falls? Bible salesman?

Connor: (laughs) No, actually I'm in environmental clean up.

Damon: Oh.

Connor: Heard you had a bit of a pollution problem.

Damon: Huh, well, I was unaware. I breathe pretty easy.

(Elena comes out of the bathroom with Willow)

Elena: (To Connor I'm so sorry that took so long.

Connor: No problem.

Damon: Well, enjoy your stay. We love visitors and the scenery is to die for. (He gasps and puts his hand to his mouth.) Funeral pun. Too soon. Sorry.

(Elena Willow and Damon leave.)

(Up in the balcony, April is trying to write a speech for her father. She is startled by Connor who appears next to her.)

April: Sorry, you scared me. I was just practicing my speech for later.

(She gets up. Connor stabs her in the stomach. She gasps. Connor sits her down on the bench. April takes her hand away from her wound and sees it's bloody. Blood begins to drip from her mouth.)

OUTSIDE MYSTIC FALLS CHURCH

(Elena Willow and Damon are walking across the grounds.)

Elena: Did you bring the blood bag?

Damon: Would you mind saying that a little louder?

(They go behind a tree together.)

Damon: Here.

(Damon hands her the blood bag. She takes it and rips the top open. She begins to drink it, but starts to feel sick again. She spits the blood out. Damon takes the bag back from her.)

Elena: No, I can't. It tastes like…. What's wrong with me?

(Damon wipes the blood off of Elena's chin.)

Damon: I don't know, maybe it's your doppelgänger blood, you're rejecting the transition.

Elena: I'm dying, aren't I?

Willow: No, you're not dying. You just need to drink from the vein.

Elena: No. No, I don't – I can't risk killing anyone, Damon. Maybe I'm better off dead.

(Damon grabs her by the shoulders.)

Damon: Don't you think like that. Elena, you'll be fine. Okay?

(He gently caresses her face. The church bells ring.)

Willow:( Taking out her blood bag) Drink this Elena it helps alot keep drinking it till you don't need it anymore.

Elena:( Ripping the top off and drinks it) umm What is it about this Blood bag that is Making me feel better.

Willow:( Softly smiling) Its because its my Blood from when I was human I did a Blood drive once and I found out that they still have it so I called eariler for a supply of it It should hold you up until you find out what is the Problem with the Blood you drink.

Elena:( Drinking somemore) Umm Thank you so Much Willow I better get inside.

(Elena walks back towards the church. Stefan shows up and sees Elena walking back inside and Damon picking up the blood bag and putting it away. Damon looks up and sees Stefan. He starts to walk away. Stefan follows him.)

Damon: (to himself) Ah, great.

Stefan: What's in the bag, Damon?

Damon: Mid-service snack. Church always gets me hungry. The whole blood Christ thing, you know.

(Stefan glares at him.)

Damon: I brought it for Elena.

Stefan: Are you really that intent on having your way?

Damon: It's not my way, it's the only way.

Stefan: If she hurts someone, she'll be desperate to turn the guilt off. Maybe even desperate enough to shut off her humanity.

Damon: What and become a Ripper?

Stefan: I can't let her be anything like me.

Damon: Well, God forbid, she's anything like me. That's really what you're thinking. She's gonna go off the rails eventually, anyways, Stefan, so the faster we can make it happen, the sooner we can get her back on track.

Stefan: She's strong. If we help her, she can survive this.

Damon: She's starving, Stefan! She hasn't been able to keep blood down for days.

Stefan: What are you talking about? She told me she was fine.

Damon: Well, then she lied. Your four legged protein shake was a bust. The juice box is a no go. She can't even keep my blood down Only thing that seems to be working is Willow's blood

Stefan: Willow has been Helping her Why would she go behind my back like that.

Damon: She didn't now that Elena didn't tell you about her Problems she was only trying to help her.

Stefan: She drank from you?

Damon: Oops. Did I say that out loud?

(Damon walks away. Stefan looks hurt.)

INSIDE MYSTIC FALLS CHURCH

(Elena quietly walks in the room. She sits down next to Matt and Jeremy. She is pale. Matt and Jeremy look at her.)

Matt: You okay?

(Elena nods.)

Jeremy: (To Elena) Hey, April was looking for you. She wanted help with her speech.

(Elena looks around.)

Elena: Where is she?

(Up in the balcony, Connor is loading a gun. He has April gagged and tied up, leaning against the balcony's wall.)

Jeremy: I don't know.

(Stefan walks in the church. He stops next to Tyler and Caroline.)

Stefan: What are you doing here, Tyler?

Tyler: Being sensitive to the community's loss.

Stefan: With a hunter out to get you?

Tyler: I'm not letting a hunter stop me from where I'm supposed to be.

Caroline: Also, if he shows his face, I'm gonna kick his ass.

(Stefan walks away and moves down a row. Mayor Lockwood is at the podium, preparing to start the memorial. Stefan sits down, two rows behind sits beside him on the left side of him)

Carol: Before we begin the Mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the Town Council. I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad. April? April, are you still here, honey?

(Up in the balcony, Connor puts a wooden stake into his gun.)

Carol: Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?

(No one gets up for a moment. Connor, in the balcony, points his gun at various people, getting ready to shoot if one of them reveals themselves to be a vampire. Finally, Elena stands up. Stefan and Caroline appear to be worried.)

Carol: Come on up, Elena.

(Connor points his gun at Elena's back. Elena proceeds to walk up to the podium. Damon enters the church; Stefan, Willow Tyler, and Caroline all turn to look at him. Damon dips his hands in a bowl of holy water and touches his forehead, chest, and shoulders in the formation of a cross.)

Damon: (To himself) Don't know why that always makes me smile.

(He sits down next to Stefan and looks at Elena who has made her way to the podium.)

Damon: She doesn't look so good.

Stefan: Maybe you should have told me she was rejecting all food sources.

Damon: Jealousy's beneath you, brother.

Stefan: Oh, bite me.

Willow: Stop fighting Now is Not the time for it if you want to blame anyone Blame Elena she is the one keeping you out of it Not Me or Damon I am sorry Stefan but its not fair to keep blaming us.

Stefan: I know I'm sorry I will talk to her about this later I am greatful for you helping her your blood seems to help her.

Elena: I uh – when I talked to April earlier she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak. And now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too.

(Stefan and Damon glance at each other. Elena holds on to the sides of the podium.)

Elena: The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them.

(Elena stops. She smells and hears blood dripping from somewhere. Stefan, Tyler, Willow Damon, and Caroline all smell it too.)

Caroline: (To Tyler) Do you smell that?

Tyler: Blood.

(Elena starts to breathe heavily.)

Damon: (to Caroline, Tyler, Elena,Willow and Stefan via vampire hearing) Nobody move. Don't turn around, it's a trap.

(A pool of blood has started to form next to April. The blood has seeped through the balcony and starts to drip into the holy water. Elena is still at the podium, trying to fight the urge for blood.)

Elena: I um…

(She breathes in and out, but veins start crawling towards her eyes. Stefan comes up to the podium and wraps his arm around her.)

Stefan: It's okay, it's okay. I got you, I got you.

(Stefan leads Elena off the stage and back into the row next to Matt. The priest goes over to the podium. Connor continues to follow Elena with his gun, but points it back at the podium.)

Priest: Please turn to page forty two in your hymn book. Let us join together in a song.

(Everyone in the room stands up and begins to sing. Connor pulls back his gun. Elena leans on Stefan when they finally get back to their seats.)

Elena: The blood. Stefan, the blood, I can smell it. There's so much.

Stefan: It's alright; just remember what we talked about. Focus, push back, come on you can do this.

Matt: What's wrong with her?

Stefan: She's hungry. She hasn't fed.

Matt: So, get her out of here.

Stefan: I can't. There's somebody watching us.

Damon: I'm gonna go rip his head off now.

Stefan: You do that, Damon, and you risk exposing all of us.

Willow: Well, I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I, you know, rip his head off.

Elena: Stefan, I'm losing it.

Damon: You have ten seconds before I go old fashioned on the new guy.

Stefan: Don't do it, Damon. Please.

Damon: Three, two, one. Bye.

(Damon starts to get up.)

Matt: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Elena, feed from me.

(Damon and Tyler look at Matt.)

Matt: It's okay, everyone will think you're upset. Just feed from me.

(Stefan looks at Matt and Elena. He lets Matt take Elena in his arms. Connor points his gun down at Elena and Matt.)

Matt: It's okay. You'll be okay.

(Elena moves Matt's collar and begins to drink from his neck. Connor still has his gun pointed on them, but only sees Elena "crying" on Matt's shoulder. After a while, Elena stops drinking. Her face goes back to normal.)

Elena: Thank you.

(She pulls away from Matt and Connor lowers his gun. Elena wipes the blood from her mouth and Matt hides the wound. On the other side of the room, Tyler moves past Caroline and up the aisle. Caroline watches him, confused.)

Elena: The blood. I can still smell it. It's got to be April. We have to help her.

(Elena tries to leave, but Stefan stops her.)

Stefan: Elena, we can't risk it.

Elena: Then I'm gonna do it!

(Elena continues to try to push past Stefan. Suddenly, Tyler speaks from the podium. They all turn to look at him.)

Tyler: Excuse me. I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young.

(Connor recognizes Tyler and points his gun at him.)

Elena: What do we do?

(Everyone sits back down. Tyler begins to speak.)

Tyler: Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team; a community. Of giving yourself up for the sake of…

(Connor shoots at Tyler. Tyler falls to the floor. Everybody starts to scream, duck into the aisles, and rush out of the church. Damon makes his way out with the crowd. Caroline makes her way towards Tyler. Carol rushes towards Tyler's side. Elena comes up on the stage as well.)

Carol: Oh my God.

(Caroline gets down next to Tyler and rips the stake out of his chest. Stefan rushes onto the stage and stands next to Elena. Tyler starts coughing.)

Tyler: I'm gonna kill that bastard.

Stefan: Damon's way ahead of you. Stay here, I have to help him.

(Stefan starts to leave, but Elena grabs his hand.)

Elena: What about April?

Willow: I got it. Go.

(Stefan leaves.)

Carol: I have to call an ambulance.

Caroline: No, he's fine.

(Elena walks away.)

Carol: The whole town just watched you get shot. I'm calling an ambulance.

(Carol leaves. Caroline looks up and sees Elena is gone.)

Caroline: Elena.

OUTSIDE MYSTIC FALLS CHURCH

(Connor throws his duffel bags full of weapons in the bed of his pickup truck. He gets in his car and shuts the door. Suddenly, Damon rushes towards the truck and rips the door off. He grabs Connor out and throws him onto the ground. Connor still has his pistol with wooden bullets and shoots Damon multiple times. Damon grabs the gun and throws it aside. Connor rolls Damon over and is now on top of him. He pulls a stake from his belt and is about to stab Damon in the heart, but Damon uses his strength to fight him from doing so. Nearby, Stefan is outside looking for Damon.)

Stefan: Damon?

(Connor hears Stefan, so he runs to his truck and drives off. Stefan runs towards Damon who is still lying on the ground, moaning.)

Damon: Ow.

(Stefan holds his hand out to Damon. Damon takes it. Stefan starts to pull him up, but stops and punches Damon in the face. Damon falls back to the ground.)

Damon: Uhh, what the hell was that for?

Stefan: You know what.

(Stefan walks away, leaving Damon on the ground.)

INSIDE THE CHURCH

(Elena is up in the balcony. She spots April, gagged up and bleeding.)

Elena: April!

(Elena rushes over to her, but stops when she sees the blood. She starts to vamp out and rushes towards April to feed off her, but Willow rushes towards Elena and grabs her.)

Willow: She's not dead, but if you feed on her you will kill her!

Elena: Let go of me!

(Elena tries to fight Caroline off and get to April's blood.)

Willow: Look at her! Look at her, Elena! It's April. April Young. She's not a warm body for you to feed on. She's your friend.

(Elena slowly starts to turn back to normal. Caroline releases her.)

Caroline: She's an orphan. Just like you. She's scared. Just like you were.

(Willow bites her wrist and feeds April her blood. April gasps. She looks at Willow.)

April: (crying) Please, don't hurt me. Please.

Caroline: No one's gonna hurt you. No one's gonna hurt you.

(Caroline stands up and looks at Elena.)

Caroline: She needs you. You can make her forget all of this.

April: Why did he do this?

Elena: No, I – I can't, Caroline. You have to do it.

Willow: No. The only way you're going to learn is if you do it yourself.

Elena: No, I can't.

Caroline: Yes, you can. You just need to believe what you're telling her. Okay?

(Elena kneels down next to April. She gently touches her shoulder. April is still panicking.)

Elena: April, listen to me.

(April looks at Elena.)

Elena: Everything's gonna be okay. You're gonna get through this. Just like I got through it.

(Elena begins to compel April.)

Elena: I'm going to help you. I promise.

April: I'm gonna be okay. You're gonna help me.

(Elena looks up at Caroline and Willow and smiles. Caroline smiles back.)

Elena: You watched the funeral from up here so that you could grieve alone. It was a beautiful service. People said really nice things.

(April smiles.)

MYSTIC GRILL

(Jeremy and Matt are waiting at the bar for their food order.)

Matt: That was insane. How do you think they'll cover this one up?

Jeremy: An assassination attempt on the Mayor's son.

Matt: Altar boy goes postal.

(Connor comes up to the bar and sits down.)

Connor: (To Matt) Hey. (He gestures at his neck.) What happened there?

Matt: Uh, girlfriend went a little overboard.

(Matt walks away. Jeremy looks at Connor. He sees a large tattoo on his arm.)

Jeremy: Nice ink.

(Jeremy gets up and leaves with Matt. Connor looks down at his arm, confused.)

Matt: What ink?

Jeremy: You didn't see his tattoo? It was huge.

Matt: He didn't have a tattoo.

Jeremy: Yeah, he did.

(Back at the bar, Connor watches Jeremy and Matt walk out. He seems troubled by the fact that Jeremy could see this tattoo.)

CONNOR'S TRAILER

(Connor enters his trailer. He sits down and opens the letter that he took from the Pastor's house earlier. He begins to read it.)

Pastor Young: (voiceover) Dear April, I'm sorry for what you're going through. What I did was a necessary sacrifice and I'm afraid it's only the first of many more sacrifices to come. There's always been an evil that spread through Mystic Falls, but now a greater one is coming. My death is but the first in the war ahead. I will see you again when we all find our salvation. Until then, I love you. Dad.

(Connor puts down the letter.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Stefan pours Elena a drink and hands it to her. He pours himself one as well. Elena sniffs the alcohol and groans in disgust.)

Stefan: It helps with the cravings.

(Elena drinks it and coughs. Stefan drinks from his glass as well.)

Elena: You're mad.

Stefan: Yeah, I'm mad. You lied to me.

Elena: I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you.

Stefan: Come on, Elena, you lied to me.

Elena: You were just so happy that things were going well and – and…

Stefan: You think I'm happy?

Elena: I just didn't want to ruin it for you.

Stefan: You're in hell which means that I'm in hell. Then you go to Damon for help.

(Elena starts to cry.)

Elena: Yeah, because I thought that he would understand.

Stefan: You think I don't?

Elena: Stefan, please.

Stefan: You fed on him, Elena. You fed on him. I know that may not mean much to you, but it means a lot to me. And I know it certainly meant a lot to Damon at Least Willow was being a good friend with No hidden Motives but Going to Damon was a Low Blow.

Elena: I didn't want to hurt you. I'm – I'm sorry – I – look I'm really, really sorry. Why am I crying?

(She wipes her eyes.)

Elena: I'm so sick of crying!

(She stands up and starts to pace.)

Stefan: Your emotions are a bit heightened right now.

Elena: I feel like I've been crying since the day that my parents died. My life it's – it's like a never ending funeral. We keep burying people, Stefan. You want to know what's heightened? This grief, I can't stop feeling everyone's grief.

(Stefan walks over to her.)

Elena: All the hurt, I feel like it's trying to explode out of me.

(Stefan takes Elena's hands.)

Stefan: Hey, come on. Come with me.

Elena: Where?

Stefan: There's something we need to do. Come on.

(They walk away together.)

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

(Damon gets out of his car. He walks over towards Bonnie and Willow, who is also getting out of their cars.)

Damon: What are we doing here?

Bonnie: I don't know. Ask Stefan.

(Caroline, Stefan, Elena, Matt, Willow and Jeremy are all sitting at the tables outside of the school. Bonnie and Damon approach them.)

Willow: Stefan, what are we doing?

(Stefan has some of the paper lanterns in his hand.)

Stefan: We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier.

(Stefan hands Elena a lantern.)

Stefan: We need to start healing, Damon. We've all lost so much, especially recently. I think we're numb to it. We push it away, we make a joke out of it, ignore how we feel. We've never just let ourselves grieve.

Damon: So, you're lighting lanterns?

Stefan: Yeah. Yeah, we need to do this.

Damon: What we need to do is find out who this hunter is and what he knows about the death of the Council. We have more important things to be doing right now than this.

Stefan: Not tonight, we don't.

(Damon scoffs.)

Stefan: This is for my uncle Zach and my friend Lexi and for Alaric.

(Stefan lights the lantern. He hands the lighter to Matt.)

Matt: This is for Vicki.

(Matt lights his lantern. Caroline gets up and takes the lighter from Matt.)

Caroline: This is for my dad. And Tyler's.

(She lights her lantern. Jeremy gets up and takes the lighter from Caroline.)

Jeremy: (looking at Elena) This is for our parents. (He looks at Matt.) For Vicki. Anna. Jenna. And Alaric.

(He lights his lantern and looks up at Damon. He tries to hand him the lighter but Damon refuses.)

Damon: No way. I'm not doing that.

(Damon leaves. Jeremy hands the lighter to Bonnie. She takes a lantern out of the box and takes the lighter from Jeremy. She gets up and stands next to Caroline.)

Bonnie: This is for my Grams.

(Stefan looks at Elena. She gets up and stands next to him. She lights the lantern.)

Elena: This um – is for my mom, my dad, Jenna, everyone that you've all lost, everyone that this town has lost. And for me, I guess.( Handling a Lantern and Lighter to Willow)

Willow: This is for my Family, and Alaric all the People we have Lost May they reat in Peace forever More.

(Elena steps forward and releases her lantern. One at a time, they all begin to release their lanterns as well. They watch them as they float off into the night sky.)

A CEMETARY

(Damon is sitting on a bench with a bottle of bourbon. He's talking to a gravestone.)

Damon: They're floating lanterns in the sky, can you believe that? A Japanese lantern is the symbol of letting go of the past. Well, here's a news flash, we're not Japanese!

(Damon takes a swig of the bourbon.)

Damon: Do you know what they are? Children. Like lighting a candle is going to make everything okay or even saying a prayer or pretending Elena is not going to end up just like the rest of us murderous vampires. Stupid, delusional, exasperating, little children. I know what you're going to say; "It makes them feel better, Damon." So what?

(The shot pulls out. Damon has been talking to Alaric's grave.)

Damon: For how long? A minute, a day? What differences does it make? (Damon gets up and walks towards the grave; still speaking to it.) Because in the end, when you lose somebody; every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing that you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be.

(Alaric's ghost is sitting on the bench, listening to Damon. Damon cannot see him.)

Damon: And a rock with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong.

(Alaric smiles and laughs silently. Damon sits on Alaric's tombstone.)

Damon: So, thanks, friend. Thanks for leaving me here to babysit, because I should have been long gone by now. I didn't get the girl, remember? I'm just stuck here fighting with my brother and taking care of the kids. You owe me big.

(Damon takes a final swig from the bottle of bourbon and places it on Alaric's tombstone. Damon gets up and walks away. Alaric remains sitting on the stone bench.)

Alaric: I miss you too, buddy.


	3. The Rager

**The Rager**

MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL

(Tyler is sleeping in a hospital bed. A police officer is standing guard outside the hospital room's door. The officer hears a noise down the hallway. He walks around the corner to investigate. After looking around a bit, he starts to walk back towards the room containing Tyler, but he is attacked by Connor. Tyler hears the commotion and wakes up. Connor is using a sleeper hold on the officer and slowly lies him down on the ground. The officer is only unconscious. Tyler listens for any more noise. Suddenly, Connor enters his hospital room. He looks at the bed, but Tyler has disappeared. He walks into the room and turns around. Tyler goes in to attack Connor, but Connor grabs him and injects a toxin into his neck, temporarily paralyzing Tyler. He lies Tyler down on the hospital bed.)

Connor: Don't bother. It's a paralytic.

(Connor lifts up Tyler's lips and sticks a needle into his gums. He takes out some of his werewolf venom. Tyler cries in pain. Connor takes the needle out of his mouth and pats Tyler on the face. He then exits the room. Tyler grunts and growls, attempting to move, he finally manages to super speed to the door and runs out of the room. He looks around the hallway, but Connor has gone.)

CONNOR'S TRAILER

(Connor is performing a distillation with the werewolf venom he stole from Tyler. He slices himself an apple and eats it, fiddling with the distillation setup. He sits down at a table with newspaper clippings and other paper goods. He picks up one clipping that mentions the church shooting and also glances at the note Pastor Young left for April. Under that, we see a note that reads 'Tyler Lockwood; Vampire + Werewolf.' He then picks up two folders, one that says Jeremy Gilbert and the other which says Elena Gilbert. He opens up Jeremy's folder.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Damon opens the front door of the house. Stefan is outside, fixing up a motorcycle.)

Damon: Good day for a midlife crisis. 164 years, I'd say you're due.

Stefan: (sitting on the motorcycle) Elena's transition to vampire has been a little depressing, I'm gonna help her have some fun.

Damon: Oh. Those who can't do, teach.

(Damon walks out onto the porch.)

Stefan: Ah, I see we're still fighting. Got it. Where you going?

Damon: That hunter jacked Tyler Lockwood of his werewolf venom last night, so basically, he's got vampire poison in a bottle. And I'm gonna find him, and I'm gonna eat him.

Stefan: (stands up) I'll go with you.

Damon: I don't want your help. I just want to kill this guy and get the hell out of town. Wasn't that the deal? Whoever Elena doesn't choose leaves.

Stefan: That was before she turned.

Damon: And I stayed to help. If I take you punching me as the first clue, I'm not wanted here anymore.

Stefan: Listen, you blood shared with my girlfriend and I punched you in the face. You deserved it. Why don't you stop being dramatic?

Damon: No, brother, dramatic would be leaving before I kill this hunter.

(Damon leaves.)

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

(Elena is leaning against a wall, outside of the school. Matt approaches her.)

Matt: Kind of weird doing this in our old makeout spot.

Elena: Thank you, for doing this. I can't keep anything else down.

Matt: It's okay. I kind of owe you my life, remember?

Elena: Yeah, but I didn't make Stefan save your life so that I could turn you into a human blood bag.

Matt: Elena, please just… (He rolls up his sleeve and extends his arm towards her.) Let me do this for you.

(They stare at each other for a moment. Elena grabs his wrist and drinks his blood. As soon as she begins to feel the bloodlust take over, she stops. Matt looks down at his wrist.)

Matt: Was that enough?

Elena: (wiping the blood off her face) No. But if I had anymore, I'm afraid I wouldn't stop. Here.

(Elena takes out a bandage and places it on Matt's wrist.)

Elena: Thank you.

(Matt nods at her. The bell rings. Elena jumps down onto a table and then to the ground. Matt jumps down beside her. They begin to walk across the school grounds.)

Matt: So, you really think school is the best place for you right now?

Elena: The vampire hunter knows that Damon's a vampire and that I know Damon. Hiding at home would be more suspicious, besides, I want to be here. It's my senior year. I survived this long, there's no way I'm bailing before graduation.

(Elena sees a pamphlet on the windshield of a car and picks it up.)

Elena: Town called for curfew?

Matt: Tyler got shot in front of half the town. Everyone's a little freaked.

Elena: If only they knew the real story.

LOCKWOOD MANSION

(Carol and Tyler walk into the house. Two men are standing in the foyer.)

Tyler: Who the hell are you two?

Carol: Tyler, it's okay. They're here for your protection.

Tyler: More deputies?

(Klaus enters the room from the parlor. He has another hybrid following behind him.)

Klaus: Not exactly.

Tyler: (sighs) They're hybrids.

Klaus: I was halfway to Chicago when I heard you were attacked. I had hoped to leave Mystic Falls for good, but duty calls.

Tyler: Nice to know you care.

Klaus: I don't. I should have killed you for the little stunt you and your friends pulled. Stopping my heart; leaving me in a coffin to rot.

Tyler: Yeah, well you used my body as an escape hatch then kissed my girlfriend. So, maybe we're even.

Klaus: Not even close. But, you hybrids are a dying breed. I can't make more of you and I won't have anyone taking liberties with the ones I have left.

(Klaus begins to walk off.)

Klaus: Consider them your new bodyguards.

(He points at the three hybrids in the room and walks out.)

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

(Elena Willow and Stefan sit down in their desks. Stefan looks at Elena, who is staring at the front of the room, looking like she is about to cry. Stefan looks at the front as well. He sighs, realizing what she must be saddened by.)

Willow: It's the first time we've been back in Alaric's classroom.

Elena: First period and I'm ready to bawl my eyes out.

(Rebekah enters the classroom with flyers.)

Rebekah: Morning everyone.

Student: Morning Bekah.

Elena: Just like that, I'm no longer feeling sentimental.

Rebekah: So, I'm throwing a little anti-curfew party at my new house. Starts at the fifth period and goes till whenever, spread the word.

(She hands out a couple of the flyers.)

Rebekah:( Handing a Flyer to Willow) Willow you are a free to come you are always welcome

Willow:( Taking the flyer) Thanks Rebekah

Rebekah: You're welcome to join Elena, if you'd like to bury the hatchet.

(She hands Elena a flyer. Elena takes it.)

Elena: It's a pretty enormous hatchet.

Rebekah: Well, I'm feeling generous of spirit.

Elena: (looking at flyer) New house, huh? Did your brother finally kick you out?

Rebekah: He didn't kick me out, I left.

Elena: So, you left the only person on earth that actually likes you?

(Rebekah looks at Stefan.)

Rebekah: Well, your boyfriend liked me once. (Stefan looks up.) Actually, a lot more than once.

(Rebekah smirks. Elena looks furious.)

Stefan: Why are you still in town, Rebekah? Don't you have anywhere else to go?

Rebekah: Well, history's my favorite class. Actually, where is Mr. Saltzman...?

(She pauses. Elena's rage intensifies.)

Rebekah: Oh, that's right, I killed him.

(Elena throws her pencil at Rebekah. Rebekah grabs it and throws it back at Elena, stabbing her in the chest. They glare at each other. Elena removes the pencil from her chest and gets up. Stefan and Elena walk out into the hallway. Elena is still angry. Stefan is gently holding her arm in his hand, trying to calm her down.)

Stefan: Just breathe, just breathe. You haven't felt this kind of rage before.

Elena: I hate her.

(Elena and Stefan stop walking and stand face to face.)

Elena: I didn't think I was capable of hate, but I hate her and I hate that I hate her.

(Elena looks over Stefan's shoulder.)

Elena: That's the hunter.

(Stefan turns around. Connor is in the hallway, talking to a woman.)

Stefan: What the hell is he doing here?

(Connor starts to walk towards Jeremy, who is at his locker.)

Elena: Jeremy. No.

(Elena begins to walk towards Jeremy. Stefan stops her.)

Stefan: No, no, no. Hey, hey, you get this. (He shows her bloody hand to her.) Okay? I got that.

(Stefan walks towards Jeremy and Connor. Elena walks into the restroom. She takes off her sweater. She grabs some tissues and rinses the blood off her hand in the sink. She rubs the blood on her shoulder off with the tissues. Someone enters the restroom behind Elena. The girl is holding her neck.)

Heather: There you are. Rebekah sent me to see if you were okay.

(Elena throws away the tissues.)

Elena: I'm fine, Heather.

Heather: I'm not.

(Elena turns around and looks at her, confused. She sees blood dripping from Heather's neck. She starts to breathe heavily. Rebekah enters the restroom.)

Rebekah: What's wrong, Elena? Getting hungry?

(Heather removes her hand from her neck, making the blood easier to see and smell.)

Elena: No, get – get away from me.

(Rebekah wipes the blood from Heather's neck with her finger.)

Rebekah: But she's so delicious.

(She places her finger with blood on Elena's mouth. Elena slaps her hand away.)

Elena: You shouldn't be here. This is my school. It's my life. And I'm not gonna let you ruin it!

Rebekah: It's my school now. My life. Maybe you're the one who shouldn't be here. And I couldn't help but overhear that there's a vampire hunter roaming the hallways.

(Rebekah rubs her hand on Heather's bloody neck wound.)

Rebekah: How inconvenient for you.

(Rebekah rubs her bloody hand all over Elena's face. Elena vamps out and growls.)

Rebekah: See you in gym. I think it's dodgeball day.

(Rebekah and Heather leave the bathroom.)

(In another part of the school, Jeremy is in a classroom with Connor. Connor is flipping through the folder he has on Jeremy.)

Jeremy: Do you mind telling me who you are and why I'm here? I mean, I'm happy to miss Bio but…

Connor: I looked into your family's history. You and your sister have been through quite a lot.

(Connor throws the folder down onto the desk Jeremy is sitting in.)

Jeremy: What are you, a social worker? Why do you care?

Connor: Because you saw this.

(Connor rolls up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the tattoo only Jeremy could see. Jeremy looks confused.)

Jeremy: It's a tattoo, big deal.

Connor: I call this a hunter's mark. As in vampire hunter.

Jeremy: A – a vampire hunter? (Laughs) Look, I'm sorry man but…

(Jeremy gets up.)

Connor: Jeremy. I know your family's history in this town, so you playing dumb just makes you look dumb.

(Jeremy glances out the classroom door. Stefan is outside, listening in to the conversation. Stefan walks away.)

Jeremy: Why the show and tell? I don't even know you.

Connor: Because it's invisible. To anyone but another hunter or a potential hunter. Find me a vampire, I'll train you, teach you how to do what I do. I'm on Hudson off Route 13. Don't show up unless you find one.

(Connor begins to walk towards the door.)

Jeremy: Well, how am I supposed to do that?

Connor: Why don't you start by asking your friend with the bandage on his neck?

(Connor leaves the room.)

CONNOR'S TRAILER

(Damon opens the door to Connor's trailer. He stands on the steps and sees if he can enter without an invitation. He smiles when he sees that he can. He enters the trailer and sees the distillation setup and newspaper clippings. He touches one of the clippings and is suddenly shot by two arrows. He yells. He goes to take out the arrow in his leg, but sees that it is attached to a bomb. He then decides to pull the arrow in his chest out, but also sees a bomb attached to the end of the string. Damon moans in exasperation.)

Damon: Um…. Yeah.

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

(Stefan and Caroline are sitting outside at a table. Elena is pacing back and forth in front of them.)

Caroline: It was a valiant first day effort. No one will judge you if you want to go home.

Elena: I don't want to go home. I want to take the white oak stake and kill her. That's how mad I am. She made me murderous!

Stefan: How about we just leave the murdering to Damon?

(Stefan gets up and walks towards Elena.)

Elena: And – and then do what? Ignore her to death?

Stefan: Look, she's trying to make herself feel better. She knows that everybody hates her, so she's trying to hate harder. Tell you what, let's just skip the rest of the day. Go have some fun. I feel like this day is severely lacking in fun.

(Elena looks at Caroline. Caroline smiles. Elena nods.)

Elena: Yeah. Okay, fine.

(Stefan smiles.)

Elena: Then we'll go to her party and show her that she can't intimidate me. I just have to go home and change first.

(She waves bye to Caroline and leaves. Stefan turns around and looks at Caroline.)

Caroline: Does she seem a little off balance to you?

Stefan: Yeah, she's channeling all her emotions into rage. It makes her feel like she has purpose. I used to do that too when I was, you know.

Caroline: Ripper you?

Stefan: Yeah. She needs to come to terms with it, confront it, let it in before she can let it go.

Caroline: (nods) You're good at this, you know that? You saved my vampire life, now you're saving hers.

(They start to walk off together.)

Caroline: You should write a book. Go on the View.

Stefan: Hm.

LOCKWOOD MANSION

(Tyler is lying on the couch, tossing a football in the air. A girl enters the room.)

Hayley: So, this is where you've been hiding, huh?

(Tyler turns around and sees her. He gets up.)

Tyler: Hayley?!

Hayley: Hey, Lockwolf.

(She embraces him. Tyler embraces her back. She pulls away holding his neck in her hands. She then pushes him in the chest hard.)

Hayley: Ass! I thought Klaus killed you.

Tyler: I should have called.

Hayley: From your trailer park in Florida, you liar!

(She looks around, then sits on a desk.)

Hayley: You're totally loaded!

(Tyler says nothing.)

Hayley: I chained you up all over the Appalachians. I talked you through every turn. I helped you break the sire bound. You could have told me your real story.

Tyler: I didn't want anybody to follow me back.

(Hayley frowns at him.)

Tyler: Werewolves weren't safe around Klaus and you shouldn't be here either. His hybrids are all over this house and so is he.

(Hayley gets up.)

Hayley: I know. One of his hybrids is with a pack I ran with. He called me and told me that he was coming to protect a guy named Tyler and I thought what are the chances?

(They stare at each other for a moment without saying anything.)

Hayley: Well, the least you could do is pour me some fancy, rich people Scotch.

Tyler: Sure. Absolutely.

(Tyler walks over to the Scotch and Hayley falls down onto the couch.)

CONNOR'S TRAILER

(Willow enters the trailer.)

Willow: Why were you being so cryptic?

Damon: Come in. Close the door.

Willow: Tell me that is not a bomb.

Damon: Okay. It's a kitten. It's an adorable, exploding kitten.

Willow: Why didn't you call your brother?

Damon: Because I'm proud and stubborn and… oh, look! You're already here.

(Willow glares at him.)

Damon: Come on, you're not gonna get hurt. All I need you to do is be doctorly and cut out the arrow. I'd do it myself, but if I move…

(Damon touches the string of the arrow.)

Willow: Don't.

(Damon pulls his hand away and makes a soft kabooming noise.)

Willow: Okay.

(Willow grabs a knife lying on the table. She goes behind Damon and puts the point of the knife to the arrow which is going through Damon's back.)

Willow: Okay.

(While Willow is cutting the arrow, Damon picks up the letter from Pastor Young)

Damon: Nice, crazy guy. He wrote a letter about sacrifice and war brewing in Mystic Falls.

(He shows the letter to Willow.)

Willow: What does he mean "a greater evil is coming"? (She continues to pry out the arrow from Damon's back.) Don't we have great enough evil already?

Damon: You'd think.

(Damon's phone starts ringing. It's Elena calling. He ignores the call. Willow notices this, but continues her job.)

Willow: How did you get stuck on hunter duty?

Damon: Stefan had a Physics test.

Willow: You are a good brother.

Damon: I'm the bad brother.

Willow: You're strung up to a bomb while Stefan plays vampire with a girl who broke your heart, but you're doing a very good job of acting like it doesn't suck.

(Willow finishes prying out the arrow as much as she can to allow Damon to remove it without the bomb exploding.)

Willow: Okay, I think that should be good.

(Damon yanks out the arrow and drops it on the table.)

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

(Matt is at his locker. Rebekah walks up to him.)

Rebekah: Hey Matt.

(Matt ignores her.)

Rebekah: So, I'm having a little party, you should ditch last period and come.

(Matt pulls out a notebook and continues to ignore her.)

Rebekah: Look, I know you're still angry I ran you off the bridge, but you have to understand, Alaric killed my brother. He was trying to kill me, I had to do something to stop him. I never wanted to hurt you.

(Matt looks at Rebekah, scoffs, closes his locker and walks off. Rebekah, with a saddened look on her face, walks in the other direction. Matt walks down a hallway. Connor is leaning against the wall and speaks to Matt.)

Connor: What did you say last time? Hickies?

(Matt stops and turns around to face Connor. Connor walks up to him and grabs Matt's arm. He rips the bandage off from his wrist and sees the bitemarks.)

Connor: Kinky girlfriend. Who are you letting feed on you?

Matt: I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know where I got that.

Connor: Are you sure about that?

(Connor grabs Matt and throws him against the wall. He grabs a knife from his belt and places it against Matt's throat.)

Connor: Tell me which one of your high school friends is a blood sucker.

(Connor applies more pressure to Matt's throat.)

Matt: It's Rebekah. Rebekah Mikaelson.

(Connor nods and releases Matt from his knife blade, but without taking his hand off from around his throat.)

Connor: Thank you. And when you wake up, she'll be long gone.

(He pulls Matt away from the wall, then slams him back into it, knocking Matt unconscious.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Elena is searching through a set of drawers in Damon's room. Damon walks in.)

Damon: Hope you plan on cleaning this up.

(Elena turns around, startled.)

Elena: I need bourbon to get through Rebekah's party. Yours is better than Stefan's.

Damon: Top drawer in the dresser.

Elena: Thanks.

(Elena walks over to the drawer and opens it. Damon pulls out a silver flask from his pocket and swigs from it. Elena turns back around.)

Elena: You keep alcohol in your underwear drawer?

(She pulls out a pair of briefs.)

Damon: No.

(Elena throws the briefs back into the drawer.)

Damon: But you weren't looking for alcohol, were you? Do you think I'd actually leave the last remaining white oak stake where any vampire could just walk in and take it?

(Damon opens up his shirt. Elena sees the wound from the arrow.)

Elena: What happened to you?

Damon: Hunter mishap.

Elena: (walks over to Damon.) You know he was at my school today?

Damon: Yep. Jeremy told me.

Elena: Why were you talking to Jeremy?

Damon: Don't worry about it.

(Damon begins to take his shirt off.)

Elena: Damon, don't bring him into this.

Damon: Cherish the thought that he might actually be useful, Elena.

(Damon has removed his shirt and begins to undo the belt on his pants. Elena looks down.)

Damon: You staying for the show or...?

(Damon unbuttons his pants. Elena snaps back to reality and walks out of the room.)

Elena: I'm finding that stake.

CONNOR'S TRAILER

(Connor is outside of his trailer, carving a symbol into a wooden stake. He hears Jeremy approaching.)

Connor: You got a vampire for me?

Jeremy: No, but I know where you can find one. There's a Dr. Meredith Fell, she uses vampire blood in surgery. I think she has a deal with one, her blood for his.

(Connor gets up.)

Connor: You see, that's the problem. When a town protects one vampire, word spreads, more come, they feed, they turn, soon you got a full on infestation. Your high school, for example, is crawling with them. One's even throwing a party.

Jeremy: Is that where we're going?

(Connor closes the door to his trailer and begins to walk away. Jeremy follows him.)

Connor: Nah, we're going to the hospital. Some of those people are drinking at that high school party, I've got it covered. They'll be dead by sundown.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

(There are kids outside, drinking from a keg and having a good time. Elena Willow and Stefan make their way to the entrance of the house and step through the doorway.)

Willow: Wow, we didn't have to be invited in. I wonder who used to live here.

Elena: Or who died here.

(They stop walking. Elena sees Rebekah and a look of rage spreads across her face.)

Stefan: You're fixating.

Elena: No, I'm just quietly hating.

(A boy walks past Stefan and Elena with a cup of beer in his hand. Stefan compels the boy.)

Stefan: This is mine now.

(The boy hands Stefan his cup of beer.)

Stefan: Thank you.

(Stefan hands the drink to Elena.)

Stefan: Why don't you have a drink? It'll help you let go.

(Elena takes the cup from Stefan. She's about to take a sip when she sees April walking across the room.)

Elena: April's here. I'm gonna go say hi.

Stefan: And I am going to find something a little stronger than beer.

Elena: (smiles) Okay.

(Elena Willow and Stefan walk off in opposite directions.)

LOCKWOOD MANSION

(Tyler opens the front door. Caroline is standing outside. She giggles when she sees him and puts her arms around his neck.)

Caroline: I ditched Rebekah's ditching party.

(She kisses him and looks behind him.)

Caroline: What's with all the testosterone?

Tyler: Hybrids. I'm on house arrest.

Caroline: Says who? Your mom? (whispers) Come on, let's sneak out.

Tyler: Not my mom, Caroline.

(Caroline looks confused.)

Caroline: You're kidding me. Klaus?

(In the office, Hayley picks up and looks at a picture. Klaus is standing in the doorway behind her.)

Klaus: You're a new face.

(Hayley turns around and looks at him.)

Hayley: And I take it from your accent you're an old one. Klaus.

Klaus: My reputation precedes me. Hopefully not all bad.

Hayley: A little bad. Mostly repulsive.

(Klaus moves closer towards her.)

Klaus: So, you're a friend of Tyler's? That's strange, he's never mentioned you.

(Klaus overhears Tyler talking to Caroline in the front foyer.)

Tyler: You should go to the party. I'll be fine here.

Caroline: But, I'd rather hang with you.

Tyler: Trust me, I am no fun right now.

(Klaus has a devilish look on his face as he looks back at Hayley.)

Klaus: And I think I know why.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

(Elena walks into the kitchen. April is standing at the island in the center of the kitchen Willow is standing at the window looking out of it)

Elena: Hey.

April: Elena! Thank God, I know someone.

Elena: I'm glad you came. (Elena offers her a drink.) Are you thirsty?

April: You know, you used to read me bedtime stories.

Elena: And now I'm giving you beer. Sounds about right.

(April laughs. She takes the cup from Elena and takes a drink.)

April: Mm, if my dad could see me now.

Wiillow: How are you doing with everything?

April: I'm trudging through my denial phase. Dreaming up conspiracy theories.

(Elena frowns.)

April: My first weekend home from boarding school, my dad smelled cigarette smoke on my clothes before I even walked in the door. He would have noticed a gas leak in the house.

Willow: So, you – you don't think that it was an accident?

April: I know there's no investigation. That everyone's calling it an accident but the shooting at the church it just feels like…

(Rebekah walks in behind them.)

Rebekah: Like something wicked this way comes. I know, right? It's like this town's cursed or something.

Elena: Hey, April, why don't you go look around the house and I'll find you in a little bit?

April: Okay.

(April leaves the kitchen.)

Rebekah: Did I forget to uninvited you?

Elena: Did you blow up her dad's house to get revenge on the Council?

Rebekah: I don't give a damn about some dodgy, middle aged Council. You come into my house throwing around false accusations and then you have the nerve to drink my beer?

Willow: Come you two can't you just let this Anger go.

Elena: She killed me Willow and almost Killed Matt there isn't anything to let go of

(Rebekah takes the cup of beer from Elena's hand. Rebekah smirks as she takes a sip of the beer. Elena hears a sizzling noise. She looks down at her hand and sees that the sun is burning her. She notices that her ring is missing.)

Elena: My ring!

(Rebekah smiles. Elena super speeds into a dark corner of the room. Rebekah holds up Elena's daylight ring.)

Elena: Give it back!

Rebekah: Get it yourself.

(Rebekah throws the ring down the drain of the sink.)

Willow: No!

(Elena moves out of the dark but is yet again burned by the sun. Rebekah turns on the garbage disposal and walks out of the room. Elena takes a deep breath and super speeds towards the sink. but the Sink is directly in the sun Willow diggs in the garage disposal and gives the ring back to Elena who Puts it back on.

Elena:Thanks

Elena is furious. She walks over to her bag on the countertop and takes out the white oak stake. She starts to leave the kitchen, but Stefan is standing right in front of her.)

Stefan: Damon give that to you?

Elena: Yes. Reluctantly. Stefan, she's – she's not gonna stop, she's just gonna keep pushing and pushing.

Stefan: Well, if you want to kill her, (Stefan steps aside and gestures towards the hallway.) I'm not gonna stop you. But see, here's what'll happen, it'll feel really good for about ten seconds and then after that tens and thousands of vampires all over the world will start to die. Every vampire she ever turned will die. See rage is a really powerful feeling. But guilt, take it from me, it'll destroy you. So, you can either go after her or you can get on the back of my motorcycle and we can get the hell out of here.

(Stefan smiles and puts out his hand. Elena places the white oak stake in his hand. They both walk out of the house and down into the front yard. Rebekah is standing on the porch.)

Rebekah: Leaving so soon?

(Elena stops and turns around; looking up at Rebekah.)

Elena: No. Not just yet.

(Elena looks at Stefan and hands him her bag.)

Elena: I never got a drink.

(She looks at Rebekah, smirking, and walks over to the keg. She places her hands on the sides of the keg and does a handstand. Someone sticks the beer hose in her mouth and she starts to drink. Everyone starts to chant chug. Elena eventually comes back to the ground and wipes her mouth.)

Elena: Now I'm ready to go.

(Stefan hands Elena her bag and they walk away together. Rebekah watches them leave, but her vision starts to blur. She walks back into the house and looks in the mirror. All over her face, veins start to creep up.)

Rebekah: What the hell?

Willow: What's Going on Rebekah.

Rebekah: I don't now it looks like a werewolf venom

Willow: What?

LOCKWOOD MANSION

(Tyler walks into the office. Klaus is sitting in a chair with his feet up on the desk.)

Klaus: She's quite fetching, that Hayley.

Tyler: Where is she?

Klaus: Oh, she had to run, but don't worry I had her take the back door so Caroline wouldn't see.

(Tyler walks towards him.)

Tyler: Whatever you think you know…

Klaus: I don't know anything, but I've put together a pretty convincing picture. Why don't you tell me where my imagination deviates from reality?

(Klaus gets up and walks towards Tyler. He circles around him as he speaks.)

Klaus: You went off to the Appalachians to break my sire bound, there you met a pack of werewolves, begged them for help, among them was a girl. She was gorgeous. With the same animal instincts as you. Emotions ran high, inhibitions ran low.

Tyler: Stop it!

Klaus: Then, in a moment of weakness, the thick sexual tension became something much more real.

(Tyler turns around and faces Klaus.)

Tyler: I said stop!

Klaus: And Caroline has no idea.

(Tyler looks flabbergasted. Tyler's phone rings. Klaus walks over to it and picks it up. He smirks and sits back down in the chair.)

Klaus: Hello, Damon.

Damon: Klaus, where's Tyler?

Klaus: Tyler's otherwise occupied making big decisions about honesty and what not. Is there anything I can do?

Damon: I'm going after the vampire hunter, so if he'd like to join.

Klaus: He wouldn't. I however…

COUNTRYSIDE

(Stefan and Elena are on Stefan's motorcycle, riding through the country. Elena removes her arms from Stefan's waist and puts them on his shoulders. She begins to stand up on the seat. She places her arms out to her side and smiles. She feels the breeze rush past her and revels in it.)

MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL

(Meredith is walking down a hallway. Jeremy and Connor follow her. Meredith opens the door to a room and walks in.)

Jeremy: That's her.

Connor: Stay here.

(Connor walks past Jeremy and enters the room Meredith also just entered.)

Connor: Is a hospital really the best place for a germaphobe?

(Damon walks out from behind a rack of medical supplies.)

Damon: Did I say that I was a germaphobe? Pft, sorry, I meant vampire.

(Connor pulls out a gun to shoot Damon, but is struck by an arrow. He drops his gun and bends down to pick it up. He is shot by another arrow. He looks at both the arrows and sees they are attached to bombs.)

Damon: Stings, doesn't it?

(Connor attempts to grab his gun again, but someone kicks it out of the way. Connor looks up and sees Klaus.)

Klaus: Hello, mate.

(Damon smirks.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Elena pushes Stefan down onto his bed and straddles him. They start to kiss passionately. Elena sits back up and looks down at him. Stefan starts to sit up as well, but Elena pushes him back down on the bed. Elena starts to vamp out. Stefan grabs her and super speeds himself on top of her. They start kissing again. Stefan starts to kiss Elena's neck and chest. Suddenly, he stops and Elena looks up at him. She sees Damon on top of her instead of Stefan.)

Elena: No!

(She pushes "Damon" off of her. Stefan is startled by this.)

Stefan: Are you okay?

(Elena breathes heavily. She grabs her arm and pulls up her sleeve. There are red marks creeping up her arm.)

Elena: Stefan. What's wrong with me?

(She pulls up her other sleeve. Stefan is worried.)

Stefan: Damon said the hunter had werewolf venom.

Elena: Oh my God.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

(Rebekah is sitting at a desk in her room. She looks down at her arm which is marked up just like Elena's. Matt walks in the doorway and leans against the frame. Rebekah sees him standing there in the mirror.)

Matt: You don't look so hot.

Rebekah: Whatever it is, it's not the white oak stake, so it can't kill me.

(She starts to get up.)

Rebekah: I'm surprised you came to my party.

(Matt walks into the room.)

Matt: Well, I thought about it. You explained why you ran me off the bridge, so the least I could do is explain how I feel. The truth is Rebekah, I think you're amazing.

(Rebekah smiles.)

Matt: You've had a thousand years to learn, to grow, and to start fresh. And somehow you've managed to throw it all away. Now you're alone. You're compelling your friends. Your brother hates you. You whine about not finding love. The reason you don't find love is because you don't deserve it.

(Rebekah rips out Matt's heart. He falls to the ground, dead. Rebekah stares at the heart in her hands. She drops it. The whole thing was just an illusion due to the werewolf venom. Rebekah seems relieved and yet terrified.)

MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL

(Connor is attempting to pull the arrow out from his side. Damon and Klaus are watching him.)

Damon: Keep it up, buddy. We'll be scraping you off the ceiling.

Connor: You two are gonna kill me anyway.

Klaus: Well, let's not be too hasty. I feel like we're just getting to know each other.

Damon: Let's start with the basics. Where are you from, what do you know, maybe you can cue me in on this 'greater evil', because I've fought this guy (Points at Klaus) and there's nothing more evil than that.

(Damon hands Klaus a letter in his hands.)

Klaus: Yeah, truth be told, I'm as evil as it gets.

Connor: I'm not telling you anything. And if you think if you kill me it's gonna be over, there's another waiting to take my place.

Damon: See, this is what I like to hear; vague threats, ominous prophecies, disappearing tattoos.

(Connor looks up at them. Klaus looks down at Connor and stops smirking.)

Klaus: What do you mean tattoos?

Damon: Don't bother, you can't see the damn thing.

(Klaus kneels down next to Connor.)

Klaus: There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?

(Connor looks at him. He attempts to stake Klaus, but Klaus is too quick and catches his arm.)

Klaus: Nice try, but I'm faster than your average vampire.

(Klaus twists his arm and grabs the stake out of his hand. He sees the mark carved into the wood and recognizes it.)

Klaus: You're one of the Five.

Damon: The what?

Connor: And I'm faster than your average hunter.

(Damon sees that Connor is about to pull the string to the bomb and rushes out of the room, leaving Connor and Klaus behind. The bomb explodes and Damon is thrown through the air, landing face down on the floor. He looks behind him as the massive fireball disperses.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Elena is lying in Stefan's bed, looking incredibly ill. Stefan is on his phone.)

Stefan: Come on Klaus, where the hell are you?

(Stefan hangs up his phone and sits on the bed, next to Elena.)

Stefan: Hey.

(Elena smiles at him. She feels the werewolf venom running through her and shuts her eyes. When she opens them she sees Damon where Stefan once was and looks confused.)

Elena: Why am I thinking about you?

Damon: Because you're a vampire now. And part of you knows you're a lot more like me than you are like him.

(Klaus enters the room. Stefan gets up and walks towards him.)

Stefan: You came.

Klaus: I did. And for future reference, one voicemail is just as effective as nine.

(Elena moans in discomfort. Klaus looks at her.)

Klaus: What's wrong, love?

Stefan: She has werewolf venom in her system. You know you're the only one that can heal her, Klaus, please.

Klaus: And what would you have done if I were no longer here? Hm? If you and your friends had succeeded in ridding the world of me, let's play that game for a moment, shall we?

(Stefan angrily steps forward.)

Stefan: Whatever you want from me….

Klaus: I don't want anything from you.

(Klaus walks over towards Elena and sits on the bed next to her.)

Klaus: Her, on the other hand… If you had told me a few hours ago, I wouldn't have cared a lick about her dying. But, as it turns out... (He bites his wrist.) You may be of use to me after all.

(Klaus places his wrist in her mouth and Elena drinks his blood.)

Klaus: Yes. There we go.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

(Rebekah is lying in her bed, still looking as though she is being effected by the werewolf venom. April walks in the room and knocks on the doorframe. Rebekah opens her eyes and sees her.)

April: Hey.

(April picks up some empty cups and throws them in a garbage can she is carrying.)

April: Way to bail on your own party.

Rebekah: I just. I needed a minute. Did everyone leave?

April: Yeah, deputies weren't actually super happy about the anti-curfew party.

Rebekah: Why are you still here?

April: Um, honestly, picking up trash is a hell of a lot better than sitting at home alone thinking about the family you no longer have.

(Rebekah gets up and walks towards April.)

Rebekah: Hey, uh, if you want, I could – I could help you look into what happened with the fire at your farmhouse.

April: What are you going to be able to do that I can't?

Rebekah: You'd be surprised.

(April nods.)

MYSTIC FALL HOSPITAL

(Firefighters and officers are inside the room where the explosion occurred. Carol and Damon are standing in the hallway outside of the room, talking.)

Carol: So, the sniper was inside?

Damon: Yep, still is. In tiny little pieces.

Carol: Good. I'll cancel the curfew and call off the extra patrols. I can't say I approve of your methods.

Damon: I'll give a donation. You can name a wing after me, Mayor.

(Damon walks away into the waiting room. Jeremy sees him and speaks to him.)

Jeremy: See, I told you I could be a badass.

Damon: Shhh, badasses don't say that. Doc!

(Damon approaches Meredith.)

Damon: Nice job.

Meredith: You told me the plan was to lead him to the storage room.

Damon: And we did. Congrats.

Meredith: You left out the part about blowing up a hospital. With patients who are sick and fragile and who don't need things exploding down the hall from them!

Damon: It was contained. Nobody got hurt. Come on, buy me a farewell drink. (He claps her on the arm.) We'll talk about what the hell Klaus meant by the Five.

Meredith: You know you're not going anywhere, Damon. And I'm not your new partner in vampire crime. Fix things with Stefan and Elena. Don't let your pride leave you all alone.

(Meredith walks away.)

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

(Stefan is in the parlor with a drink in hand. Caroline opens the front door and enters the house.)

Caroline: Hey.

Stefan: Hey. Thanks for coming.

(Stefan sits down and Caroline walks into the room.)

Caroline: Not every day I get summoned by a Salvatore. So, what's up?

Stefan: (sighs) Do you remember what you were like before you turned?

Caroline: You mean an insecure control freak?

(Stefan laughs. Caroline sits down.)

Caroline: Yeah.

Stefan: You grew into yourself when you became a vampire. You changed. And Elena, she's changing too, and I want her to be able to enjoy it. Without all the guilt and shame that I went through; and there was a moment today when she did. And when I'm with her, every bone in my body tells me to join her. To enjoy it. But, I know that if I do, even a little, I risk becoming him. The Ripper. I love her and I don't want to hold her back.

Caroline: But you don't know how to be around her and still resist that urge.

Stefan: Damon promised he'd help me stay off the edge, but he and I, we're not in a very good place right now. Not when it comes to her. I just thought, you're so good at it, at being a vampire.

Caroline: (laughs) Because of you, Stefan. I'm good at it because of you. Come to me, whenever you want, and I won't let you lose control.

GILBERT HOUSE

(Matt walks into the kitchen.)

Matt: Elena, hey! If I had known you were gonna go to that party, I never would have told Connor about Rebekah.

Elena: I already had this conversation with Jeremy. There's no way you guys could have known that I would go, I mean, I was surprised that I went.

(Matt starts to roll up his sleeve.)

Elena: Stefan warned me that I would feel things more powerfully, but Matt, the hatred that I felt today, I almost – I almost killed her, in front of everyone, in the middle of a party. That's not me. At least, it didn't – it didn't use to be.

Matt: Honestly, Elena, Rebekah kind of deserves it.

Elena: Yeah, but it's not just about Rebekah, it's about my mind.

(Matt removes the bandage from his wrist.)

Elena: I'm having these terrible thoughts – these violent images and I – it's all driven by one simple thing; this hunger.

(Elena starts to drink from Matt's wrist. She drinks more than she usually does.)

Matt: Hey, Elena, are you sure you want to take that much?

(Elena continues to drink his blood.)

Matt: Elena. Elena, that hurts. Elena. Elena!

(Elena grabs Matt by the throat and super speeds him against a cabinet. She begins to feed on him harder.)

Matt: Elena! Elena!

(Willow super speeds into the room and pushes Elena off of Matt. Elena is still vamped out and growls as she tries to rush back towards Matt. Damon pushes her back.)

Damon: Stop! Stop.

(Elena starts to turn back to normal and looks at Matt. Matt is terrified. Elena starts to cry.)

Elena: Oh my God. Matt, I'm sorry. I'm so – I'm so sorry. I didn't – I didn't mean to.

(Willow walks towards Matt and compels him.)

Willow: It's okay. Forget what just happened. You came over, she fed a little bit, and you left. Now go home.

(Matt leaves. Damon looks at Elena.)

Elena: What have I done?

(Damon walks over towards her.)

Damon: Nothing you should be ashamed of. You are a vampire now. You just have to learn the right way to be one. And I'm gonna teach you.

(He pushes a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Elena nods.)

CONNOR'S TRAILER

(Connor wakes up on the couch in his trailer. He attempts to get up, but is pushed back down by Klaus.)

Connor: You saved me.

Klaus: Congratulations, you just became worth more to me alive than dead.

Connor: What – what did you mean when you said I was one of the Five?

Klaus: You don't know your own history?

(Klaus kneels down next to him.)

Klaus: Well, let's just say, it's made you the most well protected vampire hunter in town.


	4. The Five

**The Five**

**1100 A.D.**

(In the middle of a forest, a witch is holding a cauldron of fire. Five men stand around her in a circle with their swords touching the ground. The witch is performing a spell in Latin. She holds the cauldron above her head and the fire is struck by a lightning bolt. She lowers the cauldron to the ground and pours the fire out. The fire spreads towards the sword blades and runs up them. The five men have the hunter's tattoo spreading up their arm and across their chest. One of the men raises his sword and the symbol which Connor has carved into his stakes is seen on the blade.)

**PRESENT DAY, SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Stefan is examining the hunter's mark on a wooden stake. Damon enters the room with some boxes on his shoulder.)

STEFAN: So what is all this?

DAMON: Some personal items that I snaked from the vampire hunter's RV. May he rest in peace. I'm searching for a supernatural handbook.

STEFAN: And you know for a fact that he was supernatural?

DAMON: Definetely wasn't natural. The guy magically appeared just as someone blows up the entire Founders Council. He's covered in a tattoo that only Jeremy Gilbert - of all people in the world - seems to be able to see. Klaus mentioned something about him being one of The Five. Then he kamikazes himself with explosives. Sound natural to you?

STEFAN: What's The Five?

DAMON: That's what I'm hoping is in the first chapter of the handbook. (His phone rings and he picks it up. It's Sheriff Forbes.) Liz Forbes, my favorite sheriff. (He looks worried.) What? That's... concerning. Keep me posted. (He hangs up.)

STEFAN: What? You're not gonna tell me?

DAMON: Can't tell you. Private. We're in a fight.

STEFAN: You're in a fight. I'm not in a fight, I'm over it, I've been over it.

DAMON: Not still mad at me about Elena?

STEFAN: You let her feed on you. I'm always gonna be mad at you but we're not in a fight.

DAMON: Very well, then. They didn't find any remains at the explosion site.

STEFAN: So Connor's still out there.

DAMON: Apparently so. I'm gonna need you to get on this today. I have to take Elena to college.

STEFAN: (Looks surprised.) I'm sorry, you have to do what, exactly?

DAMON: I'm teaching her how to feed. She needs to learn snatch, eat, erase now more than ever. (Stefan is about to say something, but Damon stops him.) Ah, ah, we're not in a fight, remember?

**THE WOODS**

ELENA: I know it's crazy but I almost killed Matt last night. Damon had to rip me off of him and then compel him to forget. Call it "Doppelgänger curse" or whatever, but I can't drink animal blood. I can't drink from a blood bag, I can only drink from the vein and Willow's stash of Blood seems to Keep My Hunger in check for a While.

(She dodges an arrow that Stefan shoots at her. It sticks into the tree behind her instead.)

STEFAN: A little slow. I almost got you.

ELENA: That's why we're not using the wood ones for hunter defense class.

(She takes the arrow out of the tree and throws back at him, he dodges it as well. She smiles.)

STEFAN: What about Caroline? She's a genius at self control.

ELENA: She's too good. She doesn't understand how hard it is and you... well, I know what being around too much blood does to you, so... I can't put you through that.

(He rushes towards her and grabs her from behind, pointing an arrow at her heart.)

STEFAN: So I guess that leaves Damon, huh?

(She flips Stefan over her and he lands on the ground. She sits down on top of him and places the arrow against his neck.)

ELENA: Don't be jealous. You know I wish it could be you.

STEFAN: Fine, you wish it could be me.

(He sits up and she puts her arms around his neck.)

ELENA: We're crashing Bonnie's trip to Whitmore College. The professor that took over her Grams' classes, he invited her. Listen to me. You are the one who's getting me through this, no matter who teaches me how to feed.

STEFAN: Okay.

(He superspeeds the two of them into a tree.)

STEFAN: Just be careful, okay? The blood, the feed... It's easy to get caught up in it.

ELENA: I will. I promise.

(They place their foreheads together.)

**AT THE MYSTIC GRILL**

(Matt is working. Rebekah shows up and places car keys on the countertop.)

MATT: What's that?

REBEKAH:The key to your new truck. It's parked outside, payed for, insured, everything but a big red bow.

MATT: If that's your idea of an apology, you should probaly give it to Elena. She's the one that you killed.

(Matt leaves. Klaus is sitting at the bar. Rebekah looks at him.)

KLAUS:You're trying too hard.

(Rebekah looks away then looks back at him)

REBEKAH: Last I heard you were leaving town, forever.

KLAUS:Well I was (He gets up and walks towards her) but then I thought to myself how can I when my sister, clearly so desperate for love and affection, is left here bribing the help.

REBEKAH:What do you want Nik? I thought I was dead to you.

KLAUS:Things change Rebekah. I've stumbled upon something I think might be of interest to you.

REBEKAH: Doubt that.

KLAUS: No? Well, what if I told you the brotherhood of The Five still existed.

REBEKAH: What?

KLAUS:You see, and like that bygones. Come on love, work to do.

REBEKAH: We don't have anything to do. There is no we. I don't care about The Five and I don't care about you.

KLAUS: As you wish.

(Klaus leaves)

**OUTSIDE WHITMORE COLLEGE**

(Damon, Elena, Willow and Bonnie pull up to the front of the school and get out of Damon's car.)

Elena: (To Bonnie) Are you sure that you're okay with this?

Bonnie: If I could spell you out of wanting blood, I would, but I can't, so better you learn this now than at freshmen orientation.

Elena: Something tells me that college isn't in my future anymore.

Damon: Oh, stop with the pity party. If I can go to college, you can go to college.

Bonnie: You went to college?

Damon: Sure, plenty of times. I always had a thing for sorority girls. (He smirks.)

Willow: You're disgusting.

Damon: I know.

(Elena and Bonnie walk off. Damon follows behind them with Willow.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S CLASSROOM**

Prof. Shane: When I say the word "witch", what pops into your head?

(Elena, Bonnie, Willow and Damon enter the classroom where Professor Shane is teaching.)

Prof. Shane: Halloween costume? Villan of a fairy tale? Maybe an ex girlfriend? Well, whatever image it is it's probably not (Flips to another slide.) Tanyell Soso of Montego, Cameroon.

(Elena, Bonnie, Willow and Damon sit down. Elena and Bonnie stare down at Professor Shane.)

Elena: Is that him?

Bonnie: Yeah.

Elena: He's kind of...

Bonnie: Hot.

(Elena smiles. Damon rolls his eyes.)

Prof. Shane: Now, in reality, or in this reality at least, witches appear to cross every culture in history. They're the architects of the supernatural; responsible for everything that goes bump in the night from ghosts to vampires to doppelgängers.

Damon: What is this guy, Witch-apedia?

(Elena laughs.)

Bonnie: Shhh, shut up.

Prof. Shane: Now, if you're a skeptic, you'd call that a coincidence. But, if you're a true believer, you know that there's really no such thing. It scares the crap out of us.

Elena: (whispers to Damon) What if I'm a Ripper?

Damon: You're not a Ripper.

Elena: What if I am?

Damon: Well then, pick someone and we'll find out.

(Elena looks at him and he raises his eyebrows. Elena starts to look at the other people in the classroom. She looks at a boy in the front of the class.)

Damon: Stoner guys are no good to grab. They're too paranoid and you don't want the extra buzz.

(They look further down the row.)

Damon: Now, she is a fun size, a tutor. Geeky girls are inheritantly suspcious of anyone who is nice to them. What you want, (He places his arm around her shoulder and points at a girl.) is the little blonde, pretty girl. Self absorbed, easily flattered, you just have to separate her from the pack and make your move.

Prof. Shane: (to Damon and Elena) Am I interrupting you guys?

(Damon and Elena look at him.)

Prof. Shane: Or is it maybe the other way around?

Elena: Sorry.

Damon: I was just saying how much I love witches.

Prof. Shane: Yeah, you and me both, brother. Alright, listen, we should probably talk about the readings that none of you did.

(Elena looks at Damon and smiles.)

**KLAUS' MANSION**

(Klaus opens the doors to a room. In the room, Connor is chained up to a piece of wood. Klaus walks in and stands next to his hostage.)

Klaus: Looks like I'll have to beef up the hybrid security detail.

(Stefan walks out of the shadows.)

Stefan: I was gonna take him, but I figured you went through such trouble to truss him up in your red room of pain.

Klaus: It's from the Inquisition. I thought it was a nice touch.

Stefan: What'd you get out of him?

Klaus: Not enough. He's mum about the Council fire and he's not saying anything about this greater evil we're all supposed to be shivering over. What brings you snooping?

Stefan: Well, I can't say it in front of him. As I'm sure you've figured out, our friend here can't be compelled.

Klaus: (To Connor) You're full of mysteries, aren't you?

Connor: I told you, I don't know anything.

Klaus: Thankfully, I know plenty.

(Klaus walks out of the room and gestures for Stefan to come with him.)

Klaus: Shall we?

(Stefan stares at Connor for a few more seconds and follow Klaus out. Klaus shuts the doors to Connor's prison room and turns to Stefan.)

Klaus: So, what's with the home invasion?

Stefan: Damon said you knew something about this guy. Now, I should have figured out that you were up to something when you healed Elena from the werewolf poison without asking for anything in return.

Klaus: I was feeling benevolent.

Stefan: You're never benevolent. Who is this guy? What's the Five?

Klaus: So many questions.

Stefan: It's a good thing I have nothing to do today, except get answers out of you.

(Stefan sits down and looks at Klaus.)

Klaus: Fine. You might actually be useful in persuading my sister to cooperate.

(Klaus walks away from the door and into the room.)

Klaus: The brotherhood of the Five was a group of highly skilled vampire hunters. We crossed paths with them in the 12th century, Italy.

**FLASHBACK TO ITALY, 1114**

Klaus: (voiceover) My siblings and I had followed the Normans as they conquered the South. Feeding, turning people as we went.

(Klaus and Elijah walk into the Town's Square. A man is on a stage with an audience surrounding him. There are several people tied up to wooden poles and staked through the chest on the stage. The man speaks to the crowd of people.)

Alexander: These demons live among you. Passing as human.

Klaus: (voiceover) But with the bloodshed came exposure.

(Klaus and Elijah stop in the middle of the square and watch what is going on. Alexander approaches a box on the stage.)

Alexander: So, witness with your own eyes.

(He unlocks the box. A man steps out of the box and starts to burn. The man is set ablaze. The crowd screams in fear as the man burns to death. Alexander walks down from the stage, looking unabashed by this.)

Elijah: (to Klaus) He's putting on quite the show.

Klaus: He is nothing. I could eat him for sport.

Elijah: Still you should heed the warning. Between you here and Kol in the east, you have not been discreet. Stories of the Original vampires are spreading.

Klaus: I welcome such infamy, but if you're worried about discretion, perhaps you should wrangle our sister.

(Rebekah and Alexander are standing together nearby. Alexander kisses her hand and she smiles. They walk away together, arm in arm.)

**KLAUS MANSION**

Stefan: So these hunters have been around for nine hundred years?

Klaus: Apparently. Though our friend in the other room is the first I've seen since then. Kind of makes you wonder what they've been up to all these years.

Stefan: And Rebekah had a thing with one of them?

Klaus: Oh, she didn't just have a thing. She fell in love with him. He told her all his secrets. Which I will gladly share with you provided you do one thing for me.

Stefan: And what's that?

Klaus: Get Rebekah over here. She's being stubborn and hateful. I need to make peace with her. (He gets up.) I want her to give me some very important information about the hunter which she won't do, unless she believes we've made up.

(Stefan gets up.)

Stefan: And what's in it for me?

Klaus: Just get her here and I'll tell you. Oh, and Stefan, trust me when I say this; that hunter in there holds the answer to all your prayers.

**MYSTIC GRILL **

(April is sitting in a booth, doing some homework. Matt comes up to her.)

Matt: Hey April. Can I get you some more water?

April: I'm good. I'm not just sitting here, alone, like the loser, new girl. I'm with my friend, she just…

(Rebekah walks up to the table and sits down across from April.)

Rebekah: Sorry, family drama.

Matt: You two are friends?

Rebekah: Is it so hard to believe I would have one?

Matt: Yeah, it is. And I'm keeping the truck.

(Matt walks away. April and Rebekah watch him leave. Rebekah looks at April, who continues to watch Matt.)

Rebekah: Hey, off limits! I have dibs.

(Stefan comes to the table and sits next to April. He compels her.)

Stefan: You won't remember any of this.

(He turns to face Rebekah.)

Stefan: Klaus wants me to fake peace with you, so you'll talk about the Five.

Rebekah: Yeah, I bet, but don't help him, he'll just betray you. It's what he does.

Stefan: Alright, well, forget him. Help me instead.

Rebekah: Why? You hate me more than he does.

Stefan: Because I want to figure out what he's up to and plus I can give you the one thing he won't.

Rebekah: And what's that?

Stefan: A clean slate. I'm not saying that I'm willing to forgive you for what you did to Elena, but I'm willing to set it aside and start over.

Rebekah: Why would you do that?

Stefan: Because, you're obviously not leaving town anytime soon and I'm just looking for a way we can all get along. Plus you can't be too happy wandering around school with no friends.

Rebekah: Well, what if I don't care what you or anyone else thinks?

Stefan: Well, I'm pretty sure that you care what Matt, over there, thinks. So, maybe I can talk to him about a clean slate too.

**WHITMORE COLLEGE CAMPUS **

(Damon and Elena are following the young blonde girl from Professor Shane's class across campus.)

Damon: She's young and healthy; she'll heal up like a charm. Just keep your eye on the ball. Okay?

Elena: It's not a game, Damon.

Damon: Fine, it's not a game. It's a high stakes dangerous maneuver. Now, just go, just like we practiced. That's all you have to do.

(Elena walks up to the girl from behind.)

Elena: Hey!

(The girl turns around.)

Elena: You're in my Anthro class, right?

Girl: Uh, yeah, I guess so.

Elena: I totally spaced and forgot to get the reading list. Do you have it?

Girl: Sure. Uh – let me check.

(She looks at her phone. Elena grabs the girl's wrist and compels her.)

Elena: This isn't going to hurt. Please don't scream.

(Elena looks down at the girl's phone. She sees a picture of her with a young girl.)

Elena: Who's that?

Girl: It's my little sister.

Elena: Get out of here. Go back to class.

(Damon sighs in frustration. The girl walks away. Elena looks disappointed in herself. Damon walks up to her.)

Damon: What the hell are you doing?

Elena: I just… I saw the picture and I –

Damon: Everybody is someone's uncle or father or camp counselor or bible study teacher. Elena, you don't know these people, why do you care?

Elena: I care because I'm still me. I still have the same feelings, Damon. Sorry if that spoils your master plan to turn me into a super vampire.

(Bonnie walks up to them with Willow.)

Willow: What's going on?

Damon: Nothing. Elena is educating me on the importance of feelings.

Elena: (to Bonnie) Did you talk to the professor?

Bonnie: For a second. He found some stuff of my Grams' in his office and he's gonna dig it up for me. Oh, uh, this.

(Bonnie hands Elena a flyer for a fraternity murder house party.)

Damon: Oh, nice, the answer to all of our problems. A frat party: douche central. (He rubs his hands together.) Which is why, you'll be eating very well tonight.

(He smirks. Bonnie looks disgusted.)

Damon: So, what should we go as? Victims or killers?

**KLAUS MANSION **

(Klaus is standing next to Connor who is still chained to the torture device. Connor groans.)

Klaus: You feeling alright, mate? Are the shackles too tight? Welcome home, sister.

(He turns his head and looks at Rebekah and Stefan who enter the room.)

Rebekah: Is this a trick? How do you know he's one of the Five? Where's his bloody tattoo?

Klaus: Oh, the tattoos aren't visible on this lot like they were on the last. Let's eat.

(Klaus walks out of the room. Rebekah follows. Stefan, Rebekah, and Klaus are all sitting around a table. A pretty girl is serving them food.)

Klaus: Thank you, my lovely.

(The girl walks off.)

Klaus: I could kiss the Council for burning up all the vervain in town. They made my life so much easier. Rebekah, love, eat your veggies.

Rebekah: I'm not eating until you apologize.

Klaus: For which indiscretion? There have been so many.

Rebekah: You broke my neck.

Klaus: You threw away Elena's blood so I can't make any more hybrids.

Rebekah: Because you took me for granted.

Klaus: That's what big brothers do, sweetheart!

Stefan: Let me just name the million other people I'd rather be having dinner with right now.

Klaus: Alright, fine. I'm sorry. I often forget how delicate you are. Forgive me?

Rebekah: I'll take it under consideration.

Stefan: Okay, good. Now, why don't you tell me about Rebekah's hunter?

Klaus: Right, Alexander. Nice chap foregoing the obvious issues.

**FLASHBACK TO ITALY, 1114 **

Klaus: (voiceover) He was looking for creatures of the night which is why we felt quite safe around him wearing our daylight rings.

(Klaus, Elijah, Alexander, and Rebekah are gathered around a table partaking in a feast. A maiden pours them some wine.)

Alexander: I am unaccustomed to such luxury.

Elijah: Well, it's the least we could do to repay you for opening our eyes to the truth. We're curious to hear more about your order. Your crusade.

Alexander: We are but five men. Bound by fire in the last breath of a dying witch to a single cause; the destruction of all vampires.

Klaus: And how do you hope to achieve this?

Alexander: We have the ultimate weapon which no vampire can survive.

**KLAUS MANSION **

Stefan: So, that's what this is about? A weapon.

Rebekah: Not just any weapon.

Klaus: Rebekah, love, don't get ahead of the story.

Stefan: How is a weapon the answer to all my prayers?

(Rebekah and Klaus look at each other, but don't say anything.)

Stefan: Okay. Why don't we just skip with the theatrics and get right to the point?

Klaus: Not quite yet, because in order to find this weapon, we need to solve the puzzle. Which seems to have disappeared.

Stefan: What puzzle?

(Klaus raises his eyebrows.)

Stefan: The tattoo. What is it?

Klaus: A map. Leading us to its treasure.

Rebekah: Fat lot of good a tattoo's gonna do, if we can't see it.

Klaus: We can't, but someone else can. (Turns to a girl) Why don't you tell the hybrid to bring him in, love?

(The girl walks out of the room.)

Klaus: You see, the hunter was so eager to get to the bottom of his mystery tattoos that he mentioned there was only one other person that can see them.

(The hybrid walks back in the room. He has Jeremy in his grasp. Stefan super speeds out of his chair towards Jeremy. Klaus rushes past Stefan and stands between him and Jeremy.)

Klaus: I wouldn't. Lucky for us, young Jeremy here, is a bit of an artist.

Jeremy: I'm not helping you with anything.

(The hybrid grabs Jeremy's hand and takes his ring off. He tosses it to Klaus who catches it. He holds it up for Jeremy to see.)

Klaus: Oh, I'm afraid you are.

**FRATERNITY MURDER HOUSE PARTY**

(Elena, Damon, Willow and Bonnie walk into the party together and are greeted by a college student named Frankie)

Frankie: Hey. I'm Frankie, unassuming serial killer.

Damon: I'm Jack. (They all take a drink) And these are the three lovely ladies I just... Rippered.

Frankie: Welcome to the Murder House, Bloody Marys free until midnight. Enjoy yourselves.

(Frankie walks away and they are all looking around)

Damon: Well hats off to these idiots (Takes hat off and puts it back on. Damon sees Prof Shane) Oh look,Professor Creepy.

Bonnie: His name is Professor Shane. And he's not creepy. (Makes eye contact with Prof. Shane then hands Elena her drink) I'm gonna go talk to him.

Damon: You do that.

(Bonnie walks towards Prof Shane. Damon Willow and Elena start walking into the party looking at people)

Damon: (To Elena) Inebriated sleezeballs all covered in blood..Come on. Pick one.

(Bonnies walks up the stairs to Prof. Shane. Elena starts looking for her first victim. She finds a guy who is slipping roofies into a girl's drink.)

Elena: I think I found one.

Damon: Roofie guy?

Elena: Mhm.

Willow: Nice choice. Go get him.

(Elena walks over to the roofie guy and bumps him)

Elena: Oh.. I'm sorry... Drink? (Hands him a drink)

Roofie Guy: Sure.

(They smile at each other and Elena walks away)

Roofie Guy: (Following Elena) I'll be right back (To a girl he roofied)

Roofie Guy: Great party, right?

Elena: Yea. (Throws him against a wall and compels him) You're not gonna make a sound. (She bites him and begins to drink)

(Damon walks in)

Damon: Now remember the idea is not to kill him. (She keeps drinking) Elena. (She still keeps drinking) Step away from the ledge (Whispering) Elena!

(She finally stops and her mouth is dripping with blood)

Elena: (Compelling roofie guy) Leave and forget about this.

(He leaves and Elena smiles)

Damon: Nice touch. How do you feel?

Elena: (Wiping her mouth and laughing) I feel good.

(Elena hugs Damon)

Elena: (Whispering into Damons ear) I want more.

**KLAUS MANSION**

(In the room containing Connor, Jeremy is sitting near him and is drawing out the tattoo on Connor's arm on a notepad.)

Connor: You set me up at the hospital. Led me into a trap. Why?

Jeremy: You were trying to hurt people who are important to me.

Connor: Important to you? That vampire just threatened to kill you! I don't understand how you can see the tattoo if you're a sympathizer.

Jeremy: And what exactly do you understand? Because a couple days ago, you seemed to have all the answers and now you know jack. Where did this tattoo come from? Why am I the only one who can see it?

Connor: Years ago, I met someone with the mark. Claimed he had this intense desire to kill vampires, like it was engrained in his DNA. He told me the same thing I told you, that if I could see the mark, I was a potential.

Jeremy: Who was he?

Connor: Just a guy I served in Iraq with. I lost track of him and then one day; tattoo just showed up on me. It started on my hand, but the more vampires I killed the more it spread like – like it was trying to tell me something. I just – I just don't know what.

(Jeremy looks back down at the notepad and continues to sketch his tattoo.)

(Back in the dining room, Stefan, Klaus, and Rebekah are still talking about the Five.)

Stefan: So, tell me more about this tattoo.

Klaus: My sister's suitor was unwilling to tell us anything. Rebekah, however, was more than willing to investigate. Isn't that right?

(Rebekah looks down, ashamed.)

**FLASHBACK TO ITALY**

(Rebekah and Alexander are in bed together. Rebekah is sitting on top of him and they are kissing passionately. They pull apart. Alexander smiles. Rebekah runs her hand across the tattoo on his chest.)

Rebekah: How do you read these symbols?

Alexander: The map took my brothers and I years to translate. (He grabs a sword leaning against the bed.) The sword is the key to reading it. (He puts down the sword.) Have you considered my offer? To come with me when I leave to follow the map.

Rebekah: I have and I would like that very much.

(Alexander smiles. Rebekah kisses him. When they pull apart, Rebekah glances over at something on the cabinet next to the bed.)

Rebekah: What is that?

Alexander: Oh, that. That (He picks up the silver dagger) is a very special weapon. For a very special kind of vampire.

(He dips the dagger into the white oak ash.)

Alexander: When my brotherhood has achieved its destiny, those monsters will cease to exist. Until then, we have the daggers.

Rebekah: Do you really believe they're all so evil they must be put down?

Alexander: Let us not talk of such evil. Let us do this.

(He kisses her.)

Alexander: And this.

(He kisses her again.)

Alexander: And this.

(He kisses her neck.)

Alexander: And this.

(He stabs Rebekah through the heart with the silver dagger.)

**KLAUS' MANSION**

Klaus: My sister's boyfriend threw a slumber party that night. He and his brothers put us all down in our sleep. Elijah, Kol, Finn, and me.

(He looks at Rebekah.)

Rebekah: How was I supposed to know?

Klaus: (raises his glass) Cheers, to my sister's uncanny ability to choose men.

Stefan: I thought the daggers didn't work on you because of your werewolf side.

Klaus: (smirks) They don't.

**FLASHBACK TO ITALY**

(Rebekah gasps and wakes up. Klaus is standing at the foot of the bed. He is covered in blood. The walls are stained with smears of blood as well.)

Rebekah: What happened?

Klaus: Ask him.

(Klaus steps aside. Alexander is stabbed against the wall with his own sword. Rebekah starts to cry.)

Klaus: Only, he cannot answer, because I have ripped out his tongue. Along with the rest of them.

Rebekah: Nik, I had no idea.

Klaus: But you should have. Your only family was nearly wiped out, because of your stupidity. What did he promise you?

Rebekah: Nothing. Nothing.

Klaus: He would not have made a move unless he knew you were vulnerable. You trusted him, over me! What did he promise you?

Rebekah: (crying) Nothing, Nik. I swear.

Klaus: What did he promise you?!

Rebekah: (crying harder) Nothing, Nik. Nothing.

(Klaus grabs Rebekah roughly by the shoulders and stands her up.)

Klaus: Tell me, Rebekah!

**KLAUS MANSION**

Klaus: Go ahead, Rebekah. Tell him. Tell him what the hunter told you the tattoo leads to. What is this great weapon that could bring about the end of the vampire species?

Rebekah: A cure. He said there was a cure.

(Klaus gets up and Stefan follows him.)

Stefan: There is no cure for vampirism.

Rebekah: He's telling the truth, Stefan.

Stefan: Then why wouldn't you have searched for it, found it?

(Rebekah gets up as well. Klaus is in the parlor, pouring himself a drink.)

Klaus: Because when the hunters drew their final breath that night, the marks disappeared from their body, the map was gone, the brotherhood of the Five extinct. For nine hundred years, there was not a whisper of another hunter, until our friend in there showed up in town.

Rebekah: Well, now we have the map, what do we do next?

Klaus: We don't do anything. You can't be trusted, little sister. You'll be blabbing this secret to the first boy who calls you pretty. I mean, it's pathetic, really, isn't it? How she continues to hand her heart to any man who shows her a hint of affection. You'd think she would have learned by now from the endless cycle of disappointment and deception.

Rebekah: But, I haven't, instead I stayed with you and let you leech every moment of happiness from my life! You know, at least I fared better then Finn, Klaus left him daggered because he was tired of his judgment.

Klaus: No, Finn was a dullard. He was more interesting lying in a box.

Rebekah: You want the cure for Elena, don't you? So you can go back to mass producing your hybrids. That's why you brought Stefan here, because you knew that he'd help you even though he hates your guts! You know what? You can shove your cure.

(Rebekah walks out of the house. Klaus smirks and turns to face Stefan.)

Stefan: Well, I hope you got what you wanted out of her before you chased her off.

Klaus: She never would have told me what I needed to know. But she'll tell you.

Stefan: What do you need me to find out?

Klaus: The map is useless without the tool to decipher it.

Stefan: The sword.

Klaus: She knows where it is. And you're gonna get her to tell you. You have a chance to save Elena from the very thing that is going to destroy her. You can call it a deal with the devil, if you like. But you know you won't walk away from it.

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Bonnie enters Shane's office. He closes the door behind them.)

Prof. Shane: I put your grandmother's stuff around here somewhere. There were a couple of family photos and a first edition Stephen King. Did you know she liked Cujo?

(Bonnie walking around the office, looking at the pictures and objects Shane has around. Shane is digging up Grams' stuff for Bonnie.)

Bonnie: This is amazing. It's all stuff you picked up on your travels?

Prof. Shane: Yeah, I, uh, I do this thing, it's like a one man traveling occult exhibit to small towns. It funds my crazy Indiana Jones adventures.

(He hands her the book and the photos. She takes them.)

Prof. Shane: Do you practice?

(Bonnie looks up at him.)

Prof. Shane: Like she did? I'm a true believer, just don't tell anyone.

Bonnie: No, I – I don't practice. Not anymore. I lost control of myself and there were consequences.

Prof. Shane: Yeah, witches love their consequences, don't they? You know, there are other ways to practice magic. If you're interested.

Bonnie: Are you…?

Prof. Shane: No. No, no, no. I'm just – uh- I'm just a guy with a very open mind who's seen a lot of things and I'm willing to pass some of them along. If you're up for it.

**FRATERNITY HOUSE PARTY**

(Elena and Damon are dancing with two girls. Damon bites the neck of the girl he's dancing with and drinks from her. Elena continues to dance with her girl and grabs her by the shoulders. She compels her.)

Elena: Don't scream. This isn't gonna hurt.

(Elena tilts the girl's head over and bites her neck and drinks. She stops. There is blood dripping down her chin. She lets go of the girl and begins to dance again. Damon sees her from across the room and starts to walk towards her. Elena sees him and smiles. She wraps her arms around his neck and they start to dance together. Elena runs her hand across Damon's neck and licks the blood from off her watching them as she Drinks her Blood bag is shocked at Elena the way she is acting towards Damon Bonnie reenters the room and sees Damon and Elena dancing together. Elena sees Bonnie and starts to come down from her high. Bonnie looks shocked. Elena stops dancing.)

Elena: Oh my God. Oh my God.

(Damon tries to stroke her cheek, but she backs off and walks away towards Bonnie. Damon watches her go.)

Elena: (to Bonnie) I've got to get out of here.

(Elena walks past Bonnie. Bonnie continues to stare at Damon who is still dancing.)

Willow: Damon what were you doing

Damon: I was just showing Elena How great it can be to be a vampire I can't help it that everyone has to worry about her all the time.

Willow: Yeah its good that you are Helping her but remember Damon she is with Stefan Now I don't want to see you get Hurt again over Elena.

Damon: Don't worry Willow I know what I'm doing I saw you drinking from someone or two very Good you seemed to control your Hunger.

Willow: Its because I am a Mage and a Vampire the mage part of me keeps the vampire part of me from exploding.

Damon: So you are a Hybrid like Klaus except you are Half mage Half vampire that will make you lethal

Willow: Yes It makes me Dangerous Makes me wonder what other secret Powers will I learn.

**KLAUS MANSION**

(Jeremy is still sketching the tattoo when Klaus enters the room. Klaus looks at his work.)

Klaus: Nice lines. Now, if you could just hurry it up a little bit.

(Jeremy gets up and hands the sketchpad to Klaus. Klaus takes it.)

Jeremy: I'm done.

(Klaus looks at the sketch and walks closer towards Connor.)

Klaus: What is this?

Jeremy: It's the tattoo.

(Klaus turns around and grabs Jeremy by the throat.)

Klaus: I've seen the tattoo, you impertinent punk. There's more to it.

Jeremy: That's all of it. He says every time he kills a vampire it spreads.

(Klaus throws Jeremy back into a chair. He turns and looks at Connor.)

Klaus: Nate!

(Nate walks in.)

Klaus: Tell the girl to take Jeremy home. (points at Connor) Keep this one alive at all costs.

(Klaus exits the room. Jeremy gets up and follows. Connor watches him leave. Nate walks behind them. Connor tries to pull free from the shackles. Nate walks back in.)

Nate: Looks like you've got too much leash. (He goes to tighten the shackles) You're not going anywhere so you might as well stop the racket.

(Connor bites a chunk of his ear off. Nate pulls back and screams. He hits Connor in the face.)

Nate: You're lucky I can't kill you. Freak.

(Nate walks out of the room and slams the door shut. Connor spits out a barbell earring from his mouth and looks up at the shackles, clearly about to pick the locks with the barbell.)

**OUTSIDE THE FRATERNITY HOUSE**

(Elena walks across the lawn, wiping the blood off her mouth. Bonnie is following her, close behind. Elena turns to face her.)

Elena: Who am I? Why am I acting like this?

Bonnie: Because you listened to Damon and Damon makes everything he wants sound like a good idea.

Elena: I should be here with Stefan. I shouldn't be here with him. I should be going through all this with Stefan.

(Damon clears his throat. He is standing behind Bonnie.)

Damon: Guessing we should hit the road.

(Bonnie strides over to Damon.)

Bonnie: You were supposed to help her and you let her get completely out of control.

Damon: She's not out of control. She was having fun.

Bonnie: This isn't fun. She's acting like a different person.

Damon: She is a different person. She's a vampire. We're a predatory species. We enjoy the hunt, the feed, and the kill. When the guilt gets too bad we switch off our humanity and we revel in it.

(He looks at Elena.)

Bonnie: Is that what you want? Her to be like you?

Damon: She already is like me. And you know what makes me able to drink my fill and leave someone breathing and not rip their head off like my brother? It's that I can revel in it. I can make it fun.

(Damon pushes past Bonnie. He looks at Elena as he walks right past her. Elena looks traumatized.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Stefan is pouring himself a drink in the parlor. Rebekah opens the front door and enters the house. She closes the door and walks into the parlor.)

Rebekah: I got your message. I'm sorry. I know you wanted my help; he just makes me so angry.

Stefan: No one deserves to be treated that way.

Rebekah: I wanted it back then. The cure. I was willing to leave behind my family for it.

(Stefan offers her a drink and she takes it.)

Rebekah: Would you take it if you had the chance? Or is it just for Elena?

Stefan: A part of me wishes that she and I could have an eternity together. But Damon's right, there's not a single vampire who hasn't killed a human. Elena will kill and then there will be the pain, the guilt, and then…

Rebekah: The humanity switch.

Stefan: But Elena, she's driven by love; by compassion. If she turns off her humanity, then I don't think we'll ever get her back. So, I'd do anything to save her.

Rebekah: I envy that. You and Elena. I envy the love you have. I really did believe Alex when he said he loved me. He promised we'd be married. We even picked out a church. San Vittore in Brienno. I know you want my help, Stefan. But I just can't do anything that lets my brother get what he wants.

(Rebekah takes a sip of her drink and places it down on a table. She starts to walk out.)

Stefan: I never did answer your question.

(Rebekah stops and turns around.)

Stefan: If it meant that I got to be with her, have children, grow old with her. If it meant that we'd die together, be buried together, then yes. I'd take the cure.

Rebekah: I buried him. Even after everything. I laid him to rest in the place where we were to be married. What kind of hopeless fool does that? (Rebekah realizes what she said.) Oh, but that's what you wanted to know, isn't it? Because I buried him with his sword.

(Klaus walks out from behind them.)

Klaus: I'm sorry, little sister, but you're right.

(Rebekah turns around and faces Klaus. Klaus has the silver dagger and white oak ash behind his back. He shows it to her.)

Klaus: You really are a hopeless fool.

(Klaus dips the dagger in the ash. Rebekah attempts to rush past him, but Stefan stops her.)

Stefan: I'm sorry, Rebekah.

(Rebekah looks hurt by Stefan's betrayal. She turns to face Klaus again.)

Rebekah: Go right ahead. Laugh at the girl who loved too easily. But I would rather have lived my life than yours, Nik. No one will ever sit around a table telling stories about a man who couldn't love. Do it. Look me in the eye and do it, you coward!

(Klaus avoids Rebekah's eyes.)

Rebekah: Do it!

(Klaus stabs Rebekah with the dagger. Rebekah starts to desiccate.)

(Stefan covers Rebekah's body, which is lying on the sofa, with a blanket. Klaus comes in the room.)

Klaus: I have a plane waiting. I'll get the sword. My hybrids will keep an eye on Connor. You put Rebekah somewhere where no one will find her and make sure Jeremy forgets everything he heard today.

(He hands Stefan Jeremy's ring.)

Stefan: I'll take care of it.

Klaus: No one must know about the cure, do you understand? Not Damon. Not Elena. Nobody. If this gets out, it could mean all our deaths. So, if you tell anyone, I'll erase each and every memory from the lot of you…

Stefan: I won't say anything.

Klaus: It's just you and me in this, Stefan. Some secrets are stronger than family.

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Damon and Elena walk onto the front porch. They stop and face each other.)

Damon: Well then, goodnight.

Elena: Damon, I'm sorry. Things got a little heated at the party and I shouldn't have let that happen. It's just that I – I feel like.

Damon: What do you feel, Elena?

Elena: When you tell me what a vampire should be, deep down I believe you. I think that you're right and I – I hate that feeling. Because I don't want to be…

Damon: You don't want to be like me.

(Elena doesn't say anything. The front door opens. Stefan is inside the house. Elena looks at him.)

Elena: Hey.

Stefan: Hey.

Elena: Wait, what are you doing here?

Stefan: I was just hanging out with Jeremy. We had a couple of things to talk about

Damon: Any news on the hunter?

Stefan: No. No, nothing new.

Damon: Well then, today was a bust.

(Elena glances at him.)

Damon: She's all yours.

(Damon leaves. Stefan walks towards Elena.)

Stefan: So, uh, what happened?

Elena: I learned how to feed without hurting someone. It was awful. You were right. I got caught up in it.

Stefan: Ah, it'll get easier.

Elena: But I don't want it to get easier. I can't live like this. Stefan, I'm feeling things that I don't – I don't want to feel and I'm becoming someone that I don't – I don't want to be. I don't think I'm gonna survive this.

Stefan: Hey, yes you will. I promise.

Elena: No.

Stefan: Yes. Hey.

(Elena starts to cry. Stefan embraces her and gently caresses her hair.)

Stefan: You just have to hold on.

(Elena closes her eyes as they stay wrapped in each other's arms.)

**KLAUS' MANSION**

(Nate walks into Connor's prison room with food and water. He's on the phone with Klaus. Connor is still chained to the torture device.)

Nate: Yeah, I got it. I'll keep him fat and happy. You should send two more for protection. (Glances at Connor) Make that three.

(He hangs up the phone and places the water on a table. Suddenly, Connor comes up from behind Nate and wraps the shackles around his neck. He pulls hard on the shackles and Nate tries to pull himself free. Connor screams as he pulls the chains deeper into Nate's neck. He thrusts the chains forward a few times and Nate's head comes off. Connor picks the head off the floor and holds it up. He sees the tattoo start to develop more and spread across his arm and shoulder. On his shoulder is a pentagram mark.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(The same mark Connor just got on his arm can be seen in picture form, hanging in a frame, on Shane's wall. Shane is sitting at a desk, reading a book. Connor walks into the room. Shane looks up at him.)

Shane: Shouldn't you be in Mystic Falls killing vampires?

Connor: Why the hell did you send me there?


	5. The Killer

**The Killer**

**CONNOR'S TRAILER**

(Connor enters his trailer. He places Nate's head, which is wrapped in a bloody sheet, on a table.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE - PAST**

Connor: Do you have any idea what I've been through? I've spent the last two days chained up by an Original vampire.

Shane: So, you met Klaus? I only know him by reputation. Apparently he's a real monster.

Connor: He's a vampire-werewolf hybrid. Do you know how hard it is to kill them?

Shane: From what I gather, you have to remove their head or their heart. That is according to lore. I'm just speculating.

Connor: I had to figure out how to do it on my own.

**CONNOR'S TRAILER – PRESENT**

(Connor sticks a needle into Nate's gums. He takes out some of his werewolf venom.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE – PAST**

Connor: I could have used some of this occult Professor knowledge of yours. Then again, you've always been slow when it comes to providing answers.

Shane: We had a deal. I'll give you answers about your hunter's mark when its grown to completion.

Connor: In other words, kill as many vampires as possible.

Shane: Come on, Connor, why do you think I sent you to Mystic Falls?

**CONNOR'S TRAILER – PRESENT**

(Connor opens up a cupboard. He gathers some weapons and places them in a duffel bag.)

**PROFESSOR SHANES' OFFICE – PAST**

Shane: There's no shortage of vampires. That town is practically infested. (pauses briefly) Listen, there's a witch mixed up in all of this as well as a Mage. they are important to what I have planned. I want to be kept out of harm's way.

Connor: Anybody gets in my way. Anybody. They're dead.

Shane: Okay. Sure, I'll occupy the witch myself. Just do what you do. The less I know about it, the better.

**MYSTIC FALLS TOWN SQUARE**

(Connor walks across the square with a duffel bag over his shoulder. He stops outside the Mystic Grill.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Jeremy walks into the backroom with a bin of dishes. He places the dishes on various shelves. He suddenly hears a noise and goes to investigate. When he sees that nothing is there, he turns around. Connor is behind him and he puts a knife to Jeremy's throat.)

Connor: Do I have your attention?

(Jeremy nods slowly.)

Connor: Good. Then let's talk about vampires.

**GILBERT HOUSE – ELENA'S BEDROOM**

(Elena wakes up in her bed. She gets out of bed and goes to her desk. She grabs her diary.)

Elena: (voiceover) Dear diary, I know its been a while. A long while. I haven't needed – I haven't wanted to write this stuff down, but I don't want to say it out loud either. The thing is: I'm a vampire and I hate it.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – STEFAN'S ROOM**

(Stefan is sitting at his desk, writing in his journal.)

Stefan: (voiceover) She's been spiraling since her transition and at times I barely recognize her. But now, for the first time in a while, there's hope.

**GILBERT HOUSE – ELENA'S ROOM**

(Elena sits down on her window seat, opens her diary, and begins to write.)

Elena: (voiceover) I feel hopeless, depressed, angry, but most of all; I'm scared.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – STEFAN'S ROOM**

(Stefan still writes at his desk.)

Stefan: (voiceover) Somewhere in the world, there's a cure for vampires. If I can get it, Elena can be human again. I can give her back her life.

**GILBERT HOUSE – ELENA'S ROOM**

(Elena continues to write in her diary.)

Elena: (voiceover) Part of me just wants to end it, but then I think of Jeremy. I'm all that he has left, so I need to find a way through this. No matter what it takes.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – STEFAN'S ROOM**

(Stefan finishes up writing in his journal.)

Stefan: (voiceover) So, that's what I need to do. No matter what Klaus asks, no matter what lies I have to tell or secrets I have to keep, I'll do it. No matter what it takes.

(Stefan's phone goes off. He checks it. He has received a text from Klaus saying "We have a problem.")

Stefan: (on the phone with Klaus) How the hell did Connor escape?

**ITALY**

(Klaus wanders around an excavation dig site as he chats on the phone with Stefan. There are many people helping to dig up the sword, assumingly they are all compelled by Klaus.)

Klaus: I'd blame my numbing incompetence, but pointing fingers isn't going to help me, you're going to help me.

Stefan: Well, he could be anywhere now.

Klaus: Think, Stefan. He took the hybrid's head which means he wants werewolf toxin.

Stefan: Which means he plans to stay in Mystic Falls to kill vampires.

Klaus: Which is a pity, as I'm half the world away digging up a dead hunter, you'll have no access to my blood and therefore, the antidote. Nevertheless, his tattoo is our only map to the cure, so your task is quite simple; find him, catch him, and above all, keep him alive. He's no good to us dead.

Stefan: Damon's been looking everywhere for him, if they cross paths….

Klaus: You'll need to keep Damon in check.

Stefan: Be a lot easier if I could just tell him the truth.

Klaus: You trust Damon with the cure? I imagine he prefers Elena the way she is.

Stefan: Nice try, Klaus. But I trust Damon a hell of a lot more than I trust you.

Klaus: And I trust no one. Which is why my sister is lying daggered in a box. The more who find out about the cure, the more who will go after it. Nations have gone to war over less. You mark my words, tell one soul and I will throw the hunter's sword in the Mediterranean and we can end this quest right now. Am I understood?

(Stefan says nothing and hangs up his phone.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(The Grill is closed. Matt is in it alone, getting ready to open it up. He calls Jeremy and leaves him a voice message.)

Matt: Really? Jeremy, you're half an hour late. Get here now.

(He hangs up and starts to put down the chairs from the tabletops. April enters the Grill.)

April: Uh… Matt?

Matt: Uh, hey, April. We don't open until eleven.

April: Oh, sorry, I wasn't like trying to scare you or stalk you or whatever. I just – I came to ask if you've seen Rebekah.

Matt: Why would I have seen Rebekah?

(Out of the backroom, Connor slowly walks out with Jeremy. He still has the knife to Jeremy's throat.)

April: Oh, I just assumed… I mean, aren't you guys kind of like a thing?

Matt: (scoffs and turns around) Rebekah and I are not a thing.

April: (walks closer towards Matt) Well, I – I mean I'm worried about her. She said she'd help me find stuff out about the fire that killed my dad and then she just – disappeared.

(Connor pushes Jeremy into the room. April and Matt turn around, startled. Matt runs in front of April. Connor comes up behind Jeremy again and places the knife back against his throat.)

Connor: Trust me, that's the least of your problems.

**GILBERT HOUSE – ELENA'S ROOM**

(Elena opens her bedroom door. Damon walks into her room.)

Elena: Excuse me? What are you doing?

Damon: Where's Stefan?

Elena: Okay, uh, good morning to you too.

Damon: He's not answering his phone and he's not here, which you know, big deal, we've only got a killer vampire hunter on the loose.

Elena: I haven't talked to him yet today.

Damon: Hmm. (He walks towards Elena and sticks out his hand.) Give me your phone. Maybe he's dodging me.

Elena: (starts digging through her purse for her phone.) Why would he be dodging you?

Damon: Oh, I don't know, maybe the hot, sweaty dance party business. (Elena looks up.) I figured you spilled your guilty, little guts the minute I left last night.

(Elena says nothing and continues to search for her phone.)

Damon: Ohhh, you didn't tell him, did you?

Elena: No, Damon. I didn't tell him that I got high on blood like some crackhead and then dirty danced with you. It was a mistake, okay? I wasn't myself and besides, he's already got enough to deal with trying to get me through this vampire stuff.

(Elena hands Damon her phone. He begins to dial Stefan.)

Damon: No, I see, it's just a classic shame spiral.

Elena: I'm not in a shame spiral.

Damon: Oh, you so are. Newbie vampire remorse? Oof, it's worse than a hangover.

Elena: I'm not in a shame spiral, Damon.

Stefan: (voicemail) Hey it's Stefan, leave a message.

(Damon hangs up. Elena and him both look troubled.)

Damon: So, either he's dodging both of us.

Elena: Or something's wrong.

**MYSTIC GRILL**

Connor: Sit down! SIT DOWN!

(Connor still has Jeremy in a headlock and walks forward. April and Matt back up and sit down. Connor pushes Jeremy down into a chair next to them.)

Connor: Gilbert, give me your cell phone.

Jeremy: At least let April go. She doesn't have anything to do with this.

Connor: She has everything to do with this. (Jeremy hands Connor his phone.) Her and her father. Plus, she and I have history.

April: What are you talking about? I've never seen you before in my life.

Connor: Well, you kids need to get some vervain. And don't just wear it as a bracelet where anybody can just take it off. (He points at Jeremy's vervain bracelet. Jeremy looks up at him.) Maybe then you'd remember our conversation at the hybrid's yesterday.

Jeremy: Our conversation? Are you saying someone compelled me?!

April: Would someone please tell me what he's talking about?!

Connor: Compulsion, secrets, vampires.

Matt: If you know so much, then you know our friends are going to come for us.

Connor: Oh, yeah, I'm counting on it. Every vampire that comes for you is another one I get to kill. Now, who should I text first? Hm? (Connor looks through Jeremy's phone.) Damon Salvatore, his brother Stefan, Tyler Lockwood? Nah, all of the above.

(Connor sends a text to Tyler, Stefan, and Damon which reads "Hunter at Mystic Grill with hostages. They all die at sundown." He places Jeremy's phone down and stabs it with his hunting knife.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Willow walking in the Mansion as Damon waves her over)

Willow: What's going on

Damon: Connor the Hunter he is alive

Willow: That so Not good

Damon: So, we each take a different entrance; hit them at the same time.

(Stefan walks in the room. Elena gets up and walks over to him.)

Elena: Stefan!

Damon: Where the hell have you been?

(Stefan reaches his arm out towards Elena. She embraces him and he embraces her back.)

Stefan: Coming up with a plan.

Damon: Yeah, we have a plan. The plan is I'm gonna rip Connor's heart out and I'm going to feed it to him.

Willow: That's not a plan. We need to be careful. Connor has Jeremy and who knows how many other hostages.

Damon: Hence, the open heart surgery.

Elena: Damon's right. Connor's strong, but he's not going to be able to take all of us.

Tyler: I called in the hybrids to help too.

(Caroline walks in the room.)

Caroline: My mom put squad cars blocking the streets. They're saying it's a faulty gas main. We're good to go.

Damon: Good, great. No cops, no witnesses, no reason to wait around.

Stefan: Alright, hold on, you're not all going. (Looks at Caroline and Elena.)

Tyler: He shot me like nine times. If we're killing him, I want in.

Elena: He's got Jeremy. I'm going.

Stefan: Listen, nobody is going anywhere until I figure out what we're walking into.

Willow: Until _you _figure it out? Is that where you've been all morning? Out buying bossy pants.

Stefan: This guy is known for setting traps, right? We'd be pretty dumb to walk into one, especially if he has werewolf venom.

Elena: Does he?

Stefan: He's had it before.

(Elena appears to be rethinking the plan. Damon is clearly angry.)

Damon: Fine. Fine, if you want to take some time to do recon, you get one hour. But we're gonna need some extra help. So, where the hell's the Wicked Witch of the West?

Caroline: She can't do magic.

Damon: Really? Well, call her, tell her Jeremy's life is in danger; maybe that will bring her out of retirement.

(Damon walks out of the room, hitting Stefan with his shoulder on the way out.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Bonnie is sitting at Professor Shane's desk; flipping through a book.)

Bonnie: I can't believe you wrote a book.

Shane: I did. I wrote three books actually. Two of them are just too mortifying to display.

Bonnie: Oh, I'm finding them online.

Shane: (pouring tea) No, no you're not. Hey, come on, you promised, remember? Alright, no cell phones and no internet during witch therapy.

(Professor Shane takes Bonnie's cell phone from her and places down a cup of tea.)

Shane: Here, this is yours. Right now, I want you to focus and I want your undivided attention.

(He sits across from Bonnie on the other side of the desk.)

Bonnie: You really think you can help me start practicing magic again?

Shane: Absolutely, I can. I invited you here because I can. But you know what, right now, just relax, drink your tea.

(They remove the lids from their tea.)

Shane: I got this in Australia when I was backpacking with these Aborigenes spirit guides. Trust me, it's better when you smoke it, but I'm trying to be a role model.

(Bonnie laughs and sips her tea. They both place their mugs down.)

Shane: Bonnie, listen the thing is what I have in mind might come off as a little unorthodox.

Bonnie: Now I'm officially curious.

Shane: Good.

(He gets up and grabs a metronome. He places it on the desk. Bonnie stares at it curiously.)

Shane: What do you know about hypnosis?

(Professor Shane pulls the pendulum and it begins to tick back and forth.)

Bonnie: You really think that would work?

Shane: You practice witchcraft, but you don't believe in hypnotism?

(Bonnie gives him a strange look. Professor Shane puts his hand to his ear.)

Shane: Bonnie, listen, you're afraid to practice magic because those witch spirits convinced you it's wrong. They threatened your Grams and they made you feel guilty. (Bonnie places her hand on her ear.) You just have to confront that fear and that guilt and remove it.

(Professor Shane puts his hand down. Bonnie does as well.)

Bonnie: Maybe. I don't think hypnosis would work, witches are naturally immune to any sort of manipulation.

Shane: Really?

(Bonnie nods.)

Shane: Well, let me ask you something. (He looks down at the desk.) Would you like to put that earring back on?

(Bonnie looks down and sees her earring lying on the desk. Professor Shane smiles and sips his tea. Bonnie laughs.)

**MYSTIC FALLS TOWN SQUARE/ITALY**

(Klaus and Stefan are on the phone with each other again.)

Klaus: You expect me to care about bloody hostages?

Stefan: (walking across the Town Square.) Well, you should. Damon does. So does Caroline, Tyler, Elena. If any of them get to Connor, then you just wasted a trip to Italy. I can buy us some time, but Damon's getting antsy. So, if you want Connor alive, you better get your hybrids on board with my plan.

**ALARIC'S LOFT**

(Willow is up in Alaric's loft, she looks through the blinds at Stefan who is hanging up his phone. Damon is combing through a chest of drawers and takes out some vervain darts and a mini crossbow.)

Willow: Who was he talking to?

Damon: Bonnie, hopefully. Maybe she decided to make herself useful again.

(Damon takes out a large map and spreads it on a table. Elena walks over to him.)

Elena: What is that?

Damon: It's our way in. Courtesy of Alaric Saltzman's interest in the Mystic Falls Underground Railroad.

Elena: The tunnels, like the ones in the Lockwood cellar.

(Damon takes a picture of the map with his phone.)

Damon: Yep.

(Damon put his phone away. Elena's phone starts to ring. She answers it and puts it on speakerphone.)

Willow: What did you find out?

Stefan: I can only make out the voices.

Damon: How many hostages?

Stefan: Three. But Elena, it's Matt and April Young.

Elena: What?!

Damon: Those two idiots, they're like danger magnets.

Elena: We have to get them out of there.

Stefan: I just need a little more time.

Damon: Well, the clock's ticking, brother.

Stefan: You know, I could do without the colored commentary.

(Stefan hangs up.)

Elena: I'm going in these tunnels.

(Elena starts to walk off, but Damon grabs her by the wrist.)

Damon: No, you're not. This guy doesn't know that you're a vampire, let's keep it that way.

Elena: Well, maybe that's it. I can offer to trade myself in exchange for the hostages.

(She tries to leave again, but Damon doesn't let her go.)

Damon: No. Best case scenario is now you're a hostage. Worst case scenario: he figures you out, kills you on the spot.

(Elena releases her wrist from his grasp.)

Elena: Stop treating me like I can't handle myself. Alaric trained me and I've been practicing with Stefan.

(Elena walks towards the door.)

Damon: So what? Now you're gonna take on a professional killer?

(Elena turns and looks at him. Damon rushes and grabs the crossbow off the bed. He points it at Elena.)

Damon: Bang. You're dead. Now what?

(Elena rushes at Damon and knocks the crossbow out of his hand. She grabs it and straddles him on the bed. She points the crossbow at his heart.)

Elena: Head shots no good, it has to be the heart. So, now you're dead.

(Damon smiles.)

Damon: For someone who doesn't want to be like me, you sure are good at it.

(He pushes Elena's hands away, so that the crossbow is no longer pointing at his chest.)

Elena: My brother is the only thing that's holding me together right now, Damon. If anything happens to him…

Damon: We'll get him out. I promise.

Willow: Knock it off both of you we have No time for this if you haven't figured it out Stefan is Playing us.

Elena: What How do you know this.

Willow: Come he has been stalling us Not wanting to go after Conner Damon even you have to admit that Stefan is up to something

Damon: She does have a Point he has been acting strange all day

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Connor pours werewolf toxin into a glass jar. He is rigging up a bomb. April, Jeremy, and Matt sit together at a table.)

April: (crying) He's clearly delusional. I mean, right? All this – all this talk about vampires, but I mean, he mentioned my dad.

Matt: Hey, this guy's a nut job, okay? Don't let him get in your head.

April: What if he knows something? Jeremy, did he say anything to you about why he's doing this?

Jeremy: I don't know. Maybe. Maybe I just can't remember.

(Jeremy gets up.)

Matt: Let it go. Jeremy!

(Jeremy walks over to Connor.)

Jeremy: You said we had a conversation yesterday.

Connor: Mmhmm.

Jeremy: About what?

Connor: We'll get into that. First, take a look at my handy work. Pick up some tips from the hunter's trade.

Jeremy: What is all that?

Connor: The fluid is derived from werewolf toxin. Trip the wire, bomb goes off, nails deliver a lethal dose into the bloodstream.

Jeremy: And what's the point? What do you get out of all this?

Connor: You know, I used to think that there was no 'get'; that I was just supposed to do. Kill vampires. That was until I realized that the mark held the answer to why I'm the way I am. The more I kill, the more it grows and once it's complete, I'll know my story and – and all of this will have meant something. (He looks at Matt and April.) Hey! We're gonna have visitors soon, you two get in the back. Get up! MOVE!

(April gets up, crying. Matt gets up and grabs April by her shoulders gently.)

Connor: Before you think about any other exits, I got every door rigged. Got it?

(Matt leads April to the back of the Grill.)

**ALARIC'S LOFT**

(Elena pulls the blinds apart from the window again and looks down at the Grill. Damon walks over to her.)

Damon: Stefan is on his way. This will be over soon.

Elena: Will it? I mean, haven't we already been here before with Jeremy? Isn't this why we sent him to Denver?

Damon: Well, we'll get him out of this and we'll compel him down to the Bahamas. Maybe he'll find an island girl.

(Elena gives him a look. Stefan enters the loft.)

Stefan: Did you find the tunnel map?

Willow: Got it. It was in his weapons drawer with seven stakes, some weird MacGyver crossbow, and the last remaining vervain in Mystic Falls, so how about we get this party started.

Stefan: Not yet. Klaus is sending one of his men. He'll take the front, you and I can take the tunnels.

Damon: Since when did we team up with Klaus and the Lollipop Guild?

Stefan: Well, I already told you, Connor has werewolf venom. We need someone to draw his fire, the hybrids are immune to it so they're our best bets.

Damon: Well, how are you sure that he even has werewolf venom? Why is Klaus involved, Stefan?

(Stefan turns around and picks up a vervain dart.)

Stefan: Stop being paranoid, Damon.

Damon: Start telling the truth, Stefan. Why is Klaus involved? Did he compel you?

Stefan: I am telling you the truth. This is the best way to get everyone out.

Willow: Okay, what is with you two? We're wasting time.

Damon: You know what, she's right. Screw your plan. I'll kill Connor myself.

(Damon and Elena start to walk towards the door. Stefan rushes at Damon and stabs him in the back with the vervain dart.)

Elena: Stefan!

(Damon starts to fade away. Stefan slowly lowers him to the ground. Elena is shocked.)

(Stefan lays Damon on the couch. He takes his phone from inside Damon's jacket pocket.)

Elena: Why are you doing this?

Stefan: Damon had the right idea with the tunnels. (He opens up the picture of the map on Damon's phone.) But, I'm not gonna go in there if I can't count on him to do it my way.

Willow: If you can't count on him? You just vervained him.

Stefan: Do you think he cares about April or Matt? He'll get Jeremy out for you, but then he'll go right after Connor, no matter who gets hurt.

Elena: Then I'm coming with you.

(Stefan walks towards Elena.)

Stefan: You're not coming with me, Elena.

Elena: You need my help, Stefan.

Stefan: What if Connor attacks and you have to defend yourself? And what if you kill him? The guilt will wreck you.

Elena: You don't think that I – I- I'm afraid of that? Of course, I am. Stefan, I'm barely holding it together. If Jeremy gets hurt….

(Stefan grabs Elena's face in his hands.)

Stefan: I'll get Jeremy out, okay? I promise you.

Elena: No.

Stefan: Elena, listen to me, listen to me. (Elena calms down.) This is the most important thing that I have ever asked you to do. I just need you to trust me. Please.

(Elena nods. Stefan kisses her. When Elena opens her eyes after their lips part, Stefan has gone.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Tyler is talking to another hybrid.)

Tyler: Look, man, this guy is dangerous. He's highly trained. He's armed.

(Hayley hears the two talking and leans against the doorway of the room.)

Dean: I can handle myself. Besides Klaus asked me personally.

(Caroline walks in front of Hayley's line of vision. Caroline does not see her because she is looking in the room where Dean has just walked off and Tyler follows him.)

Tyler: This is a bad idea.

(Caroline turns around and sees Hayley.)

Caroline: Uh, who are you?

Hayley: Who the hell are you?

Caroline: Caroline.

Hayley: Oh, you're Tyler's girl. He told me about you. I'm Hayley.

Caroline: Well, Hayley, that's pretty crazy, because I haven't heard a thing about you.

Hayley: I've been staying here a few days.

Caroline: Excuse me?

Hayley: I needed a place to crash, Ty's a buddy, he was kind enough to offer.

(Caroline walks towards her, aggressively.)

Caroline: I know all of Ty's buddies and I haven't heard about you. So, how about we cut the crap?

Hayley: Yeah, I don't do teen drama. Take it up with Ty. Excuse me.

(Hayley walks past Caroline. Caroline watches her walk past and scoffs. Hayley enters the room with Dean and Tyler.)

Hayley: Dean, you don't need to do this.

Dean: Stay out of this, Hayley. I'm going.

Tyler: Just listen to her, man. It's suicide.

(Caroline enters the room.)

Tyler: Klaus told you to take Connor on by yourself and you can't even fight back? You have to use non-lethal force. What the hell is that?

Dean: Klaus gave me a direct order.

Hayley: It's too dangerous. That maniac already killed Nate.

Dean: You're not a hybrid, you don't know what it's like. Klaus asks for something, you do it.

(Hayley and Tyler look at each other. Tyler walks over to Dean.)

Tyler: Look, I'm a hybrid. I used to do everything Klaus said, but I don't anymore. You don't have to either.

Dean: You think you can stand up to Klaus? (He hands Tyler his phone.) Prove it.

(Tyler takes the phone.)

Caroline: Tyler, don't.

(He looks at Caroline, and then looks at the phone. He dials Klaus' number and puts the phone to his ear.)

(In Italy, the sword has been successfully excavated. A man holds it up and brushes it off. He hands it off to another man. Klaus answers his phone nearby.)

Klaus: Hello.

Tyler: Hey, Klaus.

Klaus: Tyler! I hope you're not causing problems.

Tyler: I can do whatever I want. I'm not sired to you anymore.

Klaus: Fair enough. Although I do happen to know your little secret about your time in Appalachia. (The man brings the sword over to Klaus and he examines it.) What was your friends' name? Hayley, was it? You probably prefer I kept that to myself.

(Caroline is shocked and hurt by this revelation.)

Klaus: I'm sorry, mate. Are you going to answer or should I just assume you're back to being… how did you phrase it? Ah, yes, my little bitch.

(Tyler hangs up the phone and clears his throat. He hands the phone back to Dean.)

Tyler: Do whatever the hell you want.

(Tyler walks away.)

Hayley: That's it? You just back down?

(Hayley walks after Tyler. Caroline stands in the middle of the room almost in tears.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(The phone at the bar rings. Jeremy walks towards it and is about to answer when Connor grabs his wrist. Jeremy pulls his hand away. Connor answers the phone instead.)

Connor: We're closed.

Stefan: (walking through the woods) I want you to free the hostages.

Connor: I'll free them as soon as you give me what I want. You and everyone like you dead.

Stefan: What? So your hunter's mark can grow? (There is a stunned silence from Connor.) Yeah, I know all about that. What it means, what you are. (He throws down some shovels. He is outside the Lockwood Cellar.) Listen, if you free the hostages then you and I can have a little chat. I'll even tell you about the brotherhood of the Five.

Connor: (scoffs) That's a weak move. You must be desperate.

Stefan: Think about it, Connor. Klaus saved your life. He needs you alive. Aren't you the least bit curious why?

(Connor slams the phone down on the receiver, breaking it. He shoves the phone off the bar and walks away.)

(Matt and April are in the backroom. Matt looks through the window into the Grill. He quickly moves to a shelf with a tool chest and opens it.)

April: When I was a kid, my dad used to tell me these scary stories about vampires.

(Matt pulls out some tools and moves to another shelf.)

Matt: They're just stories.

(Matt pulls the shelves away from the wall.)

April: Not to that man out there. There's something so familiar about him.

Matt: Look, this is a messed up situation, but the last thing you want to do is buy into that guy's craziness. (He pulls off a panel on the wall.) You're gonna be fine. We're getting out of here.

April: What is that?

Matt: There used to be an exit to the old wine cellar. (He looks inside the hidden room. There are bricks over the old entrance.) They bricked it over.

April: So, that's it then? We're screwed.

Matt: (gets up) No, we're not screwed.

(Matt grabs a nail and places it against the brick floor. He puts a towel over it and starts to hammer away at the nail.)

**UNDERGROUND TUNNELS**

(Stefan is walking through the system of tunnels with a shovel. He hears the noise of Matt's hammer against the bricks. He walks towards the noise.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Outside, Dean approaches the entrance to the Grill. He places his hand up to his ear.)

Dean: There's no sign of anyone.

Klaus: (on the other line) Stefan is coming at him from the other side. He'll free the hostages, your job is to get Connor out alive. And use caution, mate. He favors booby traps and ambushes.

Dean: Understood.

(Inside the Grill, Connor finishes setting up the werewolf venom bomb. Jeremy sees a stake and slowly walks towards it.)

Connor: You may be a potential hunter, but if you make one move, I'll break all twenty seven bones in your hand.

Jeremy: They're not all bad, you know. Some of them, they're my friends.

Connor: Your friends, huh? Yeah, I had a friend like that once. She got turned by this vampire I was hunting. He thought it would be ironic.

Jeremy: What happened to her?

Connor: I didn't want to hurt her. She promised that she would keep it under control, but… a vampire's like a loaded gun. Eventually it's gonna go off. (He shows Jeremy his tattoo.) That's why I got this.

(Jeremy looks down at the piece of his tattoo near the crook of his elbow.)

Jeremy: So, you killed your own friend?!

Connor: Listen, if you're gonna be like me, you need to understand. Vampires kill humans, hunters kill vampires.

(They hear a noise near the front.)

Connor: We've got company.

(Connor turns off the lights and turns on the music very loud. He grabs Jeremy and pushes him down to the floor. Dean opens the front door and carefully inspects the doorway. He looks down and sees a trip wire. He looks right and sees a loaded bomb. He carefully steps over the wire and onto the mat. A light goes off under the mat and the bomb is activated. He closes the door carefully behind him. Suddenly, the bomb goes off. Dean goes flying through the air due to the force of the explosion. Matt and April are still in the back and are startled by the loud noise.)

Matt: Oh my God.

(April starts to back up and runs into Stefan. She turns around and gasps. Stefan covers her mouth and places his finger to his lips, telling her to be quiet. Outside of the backroom, Dean slowly starts to get up. He is covered in nails, blood, and shards of glass. Connor approaches him with a gun. Dean raises his hands in surrender. Connor shoots the gun and blows a hole clean out of Dean's chest. Dean falls to the ground, dead.)

(In the backroom, Stefan hands Damon's phone with the map on it to Matt.)

Stefan: Follow this map, get out of here, take her to Caroline so she can…

Matt: Okay. (Matt takes April and starts to walk away. He stops to speak to Stefan again.) Stefan, that guy is armed. If you go out there, he's gonna kill Jeremy.

Stefan: No one's killing anyone. Go.

(April and Matt go out through the panel in the wall. Stefan walks out of the back room.)

(Back in the front of the Grill, Jeremy walks over to Connor. Connor takes off his jacket and sees that the tattoo is growing. Stefan slowly and quietly comes out from the back. Connor sees him and grabs Jeremy. He points his gun towards Stefan. Stefan superspeeds around the Grill and Connor shoots the gun multiple times. Stefan ducks down and hides behind the bar. Connor pushes Jeremy aside. Jeremy steps on another mat with a switch that activates another bomb. Connor walks around, keeping the gun pointed to where Stefan is.)

Stefan: Connor, you don't have to do this!

Jeremy: Stefan!

(Stefan hears the noise of the bomb ticking. Jeremy stands completely still as the bombs are right next to him.)

**ALARIC'S LOFT**

(Elena is leaving a panicked voicemail for Stefan.)

Elena: Stefan, call me! There was an explosion at the Grill. I need to know what's happening!

(Elena hears Damon groan from the couch. She hangs up her phone and rushes towards Damon.)

Elena: Damon, hey. Can you get up?

Damon: Ohh, where's Stefan? I'm gonna kill him.

(Damon sits up slowly, but is burned by the rays of sunlight coming through the window. He lies back down.)

Damon: Ow! Ow!

Elena: He took your ring? Why would he do that?!

(Damon rolls off the couch and onto the ground. Elena stands up.)

Willow: Because he's playing us. All this stalling, getting hybrids, taking my ring, add it up.

(Damon gets up and sits on the arm of the sofa away from the sunlight.)

Damon: He's either made a deal with Klaus or he's compelled.

Elena: Then I need to get in there.

(Elena starts to leave.)

Damon: No, Elena, this guy is dangerous!

(She turns around.)

Elena: So am I, Damon!

(Damon looks up at her. Elena is extremely angry.)

Damon: Then you need to be smart. He doesn't know you're a vampire. You get as close as you can and you kill him.

**MYSTIC GRILL**

Stefan: Connor, we can end this right now! Just put down the gun and come with me!

Connor: Sure. Come out, I'll hand the gun over.

Stefan: Think about this. No one has to die. I'll tell you everything you need to know!

Connor: I don't make deals with vampires!

Stefan: Listen to me, if you die right now, then your whole life, all that killing; it'll all be for nothing.

(Elena approaches one of the entrances to the Grill. She pushes her hair behind her ear and listens to Stefan talking to Connor.)

Stefan: I can give you the truth. Just put down the gun and let Jeremy go!

(Elena opens the front door and enters the Grill. Connor is still holding the gun towards where Stefan is hiding. He turns his head and sees Elena.)

Elena: Please!

(He points his gun towards Elena.)

Elena: Don't hurt him.

(Connor points the gun on Jeremy.)

Connor: You come any closer, he's dead.

Jeremy: Elena, get out of here!

Elena: He's the only family that I have left. Just – just let him go.

Connor: (to Stefan) You hear that? Your girl is watching. I will shoot the boy right in front of her! On the count of three! One! Two!

(Stefan stands up and raises his hands in surrender. Connor points the gun at him instead. Elena rushes at Connor. He shoots his gun and hits Jeremy in the stomach with a bullet. Elena throws Connor to the ground and sits on top of him. She grabs him by the throat and starts choking her. Jeremy is bleeding profusely and clutching his wound. Stefan notices that the bomb is about to go off and he rushes towards Jeremy, grabs him, and throws himself and Jeremy over a table. The bomb explodes. Elena looks up.)

Elena: Jeremy?!

(In her moment of panic, Connor manages to rip her hand off his throat and tosses her to the side. He rolls on top of her and grabs her by the hair. He goes in to stake her, but Elena grabs his wrist and fights back. Stefan rushes at Connor and knocks him off Elena. He kneels down next to Connor, grabs him, and rushes off. Elena breathes heavily and gets up. She looks around the Grill, but doesn't see Connor or Stefan anywhere.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Elena is feeding her blood to Jeremy. Elena touches his face and looks down at his wound. She sees and smells the blood and her eyes start to become red with hunger. Her eyes go back to normal and she backs away.)

Elena: I'm sorry – I….

(She turns away.)

Jeremy: Hey, it's okay. You don't have to hide it. I know you're not going to hurt me.

Elena: How did this happen, Jer? Why did Connor come after you?

Jeremy: He said I was like him, because I could see his tattoo.

(Elena turns and faces Jeremy.)

Elena: His what?

Jeremy: His hunter's mark. It's invisible to everyone but me. Stefan and Damon didn't tell you about it?

Elena: (shaking her head) No. Wait – wait, who else knows about this?

Jeremy: Well, that's the thing, I don't even know. Apparently, I was with Connor all day yesterday, but I can't remember. Someone compelled me.

(Elena stands up. She is furious.)

Elena: I think I know who.

**UNDERGROUND TUNNEL**

(Stefan is leading Connor through the tunnel system. He has Connor's arm twisted by his back and pushes him forward. Damon is in the tunnels too with Willow.)

Damon: Good work, brother.

Stefan: It's over, Damon. I have him.

Damon: Not after what I just went through. I had to punch through a boiler room basement into a septic tank to get into this stupid tunnel. But it'll be worth it.

Stefan: I'm taking him with me.

Damon: That's the thing, you're not. I don't know what you're up to or what Klaus has over you, but even if I have to go through you, I'm gonna kill him.

(Damon moves closer towards Stefan and Connor.)

Stefan: You better back off, Damon.

Damon: Why? Because Klaus wants him alive?

Stefan: This has nothing to do with Klaus. You're just gonna have to trust me on that.

Damon: I don't want to. I don't have to. Not gonna. Now, give him to me, brother.

Stefan: (to Connor) Run as fast as you can!

(He pushes Connor away. Connor runs off and Stefan rushes at Damon. He pins Damon to a wall.)

Stefan: You're not gonna kill him.

(Damon grabs Stefan and superspeeds around him. He throws him against the wall and grabs him by the shoulders, pinning him.)

Damon: Why are you protecting him?! Tell me.

(Damon moves his hand towards Stefan's heart. Stefan grabs Damon's wrist and tries to fight back. Damon overcomes Stefan and sticks his hand into his chest. Stefan groans.)

Damon: Tell me.

Stefan: Klaus will kill anyone who knows.

(Damon starts to pull at Stefan's heart. Stefan screams in pain.)

Damon: Then it has to be good. Spill it!

(Damon continues to tear at Stefan's heart.)

Damon: Spill it!

Stefan: Connor's tattoo is the key to a cure.

Damon: A cure for what?

Stefan: For her. For Elena.

Willow: Klaus told you there's a cure for vampirism?

Stefan: Yeah, and if Connor dies then we'll lose it forever. (Damon looks shocked.) I know it's crazy, Damon. But it's hope, do you understand me? It's her only hope.

(Stefan grunts. Damon still has his hand in his chest, but removes after a couple of seconds. Stefan breathes heavily as Damon still tries to take in the fact that there could be a cure.)

(In another part of the tunnels, Connor is still running, trying to find a way out. He takes a turn and Elena rushes up to him. She grabs him by the throat and bites his neck. Connor screams. Elena pulls away and looks him dead in the eyes.)

Elena: Stay the hell away from my brother!

(She lets go of him and Connor falls down in front of her on his knees.)

Connor: Look at you. So worried about your brother. You're the biggest monster he'll ever meet.

(Connor stakes Elena.)

Elena: You missed.

(Elena snaps Connor's neck.)

Willow: NO Elena( Closing her eyes as she felt the Pain of Death in her heart Grasping it as she sinks to the floor) You shouldn't have Killed him Now the Pain is on you.

Elena:( Feeling tears come to her eyes) I am so sorry)

(Connor falls to the ground, dead. She breathes heavily as she stares at the first person she's killed.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Bonnie and Professor Shane sit across from each other with their eyes closed. Bonnie opens her eyes.)

Bonnie: This isn't working. (Professor Shane opens his eyes.) It's not you, I just – I can't get into hypnosis.

Shane: Bonnie, what do you think we've been doing for seven hours?

(She looks at the clock behind Professor Shane in shock. He looks back at the clock as well.)

Bonnie: Wow, that's crazy.

Shane: Look, I'm good at this, okay? Trust me, you're doing a lot better then you were when you came in this morning. Here, you know what. Proof.

(He opens a drawer and pulls out a candle. He sets it in front of her.)

Shane: I bet that you can light this candle as easily as I can sign my name. All you have to do is want to.

Bonnie: I'm sorry, I just can't.

Shane: If you can't, it's only because you're afraid. You're afraid of those spirits and what they might do to your Grams. Well, let me tell you something, Bonnie Bennett, you're stronger than they are. You have a power of your own you haven't even approached yet and you don't have to be afraid. Of anyone. Say it. I don't have to be afraid.

Bonnie: I don't have to be afraid.

(She smiles.)

Shane: Now, close your eyes and mean it.

(Bonnie closes her eyes and concentrates.)

Bonnie: I don't have to be afraid.

(She opens her eyes. The candle in front of her has not been lit.)

Bonnie: Guess it wasn't good enough.

Shane: Oh, I don't know.

(Professor Shane looks around the room. Bonnie does too. Every other candle in the room has been lit. Bonnie smiles and laughs. She looks back at Professor Shane with a big smile.)

**THE WOODS**

(Elena is digging dirt up with a shovel. She's making a grave for Connor. As she digs, she cries. The blood from Connor still stains her chin. Stefan Willow and Damon walk over to her.)

Willow: Elena.

(Elena looks over at them. Stefan approaches her and looks down at Connor's lifeless body and Elena looks as well.)

Elena: I need to bury him. I killed him, I should – I should bury him.

(She continues to dig, while Stefan and Damon look at each other. Stefan walks towards Elena and grabs her gently. Elena pushes him away.)

Stefan: Hey, hey, come on.

Elena: Don't! I heard you talking to him. Making some secret deal with Klaus? You said you were going to protect Jeremy! Keep me from this. You said that I could trust you, Stefan.

(Stefan looks down, ashamed.)

Damon: Elena, it's complicated.

Elena: No, it's not complicated, Damon! You want to know why? Because - because he's dead now. You told me to kill him, so I did.

(Damon looks helpless. Elena starts to cry.)

Elena: I –I killed someone. I – I killed someone.

(Elena cries harder. Damon and Stefan say nothing and just look helplessly at Elena.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Hayley and Tyler are holding each other.)

Tyler: I am so sorry.

Hayley: I can't believe Dean's gone. We could have saved him.

(Caroline walks into the room. Tyler and Hayley pull apart and look at her.)

Caroline: Oh, I apologize, am I intruding?

Tyler: Caroline, it's not like that.

Caroline: I keep waiting for you to make up some dumb story so at least I can call you a liar. Is that now?

Hayley: I'll let you two talk.

Caroline: Thank you. How big of you.

(Hayley glances at her and walks out of the room.)

Tyler: You have to understand…

Caroline: No, you don't tell me what I have to do. I went through hell when I thought you died. I cried like an idiot and this whole time you've been keeping a secret from me about falling for some werewolf in the Appalachians!

Tyler: I never fell for her.

Caroline: (scoffs) Oh, please.

Tyler: Caroline, she saved my life. I almost died trying to break the sire bond. Hayley was there for me, she helped me get through it, but nothing else happened.

Caroline: Then, why would Klaus think that?

Tyler: Because I'd rather him think that then know the truth.

(Caroline looks at him, confused.)

Tyler: There are other hybrids that need to be set free. Hayley and I can help them. But if Klaus found out about what we're trying to do, he'd kill us all.

**MYSTIC FALLS TOWN SQUARE**

(Jeremy is sitting on a bench in the middle of the Town Square. He removes his vervain bracelet and looks at it. Matt and April walk over to him.)

April: Hey Jeremy. Sorry we're so late, we had to take this crazy detour.

Matt: There was a gas leak.

Jeremy: Yeah, I heard about that.

April: Yeah, and we had to stop by Tyler Lockwood's house because we had to see Caroline. We talked to her for a little bit, but now I was thinking maybe we could all go get some coffee. (She looks over at the Mystic Grill.) But the Grill is closed. That's weird.

(Jeremy gets up.)

Jeremy: You know what, it's okay, I, uh, I need to get home anyways. I'm feeling a little over it today.

Matt: I should probably get home too.

April: Oh. Alright, then.

(April starts to walk away. Jeremy drops his vervain bracelet on the ground. He picks it up.)

Jeremy: Hey, April!

(April turns around.)

Jeremy: Did you drop this?

April: Oh, that's not mine.

Jeremy: You sure? Hey, let me see your wrist.

(April extends her arm. Jeremy puts the bracelet on her.)

April: Uh, thanks, but…

Matt: I like it. It looks good on you. You should wear it.

April: Okay.

(April walks away. Matt turns to Jeremy.)

Matt: Are you okay?

Jeremy: Yeah.

(They start to walk off together.)

Jeremy: I'm just sick of all the secrets, you know.

Matt: Yeah, tell me about it.

(Jeremy stops and looks down at his hand. Matt stops with him. A tattoo has appeared on Jeremy's hand.)

Jeremy: What?

Matt: What's wrong?

Jeremy: Nothing.

(Matt looks at him strangely and walks off. Jeremy looks down at his hand again. The tattoo is still there.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – STEFAN'S ROOM**

(Stefan walks into his room. Damon is sitting at Stefan's desk, drinking a bourbon and reading his journal.)

Damon: How is she?

Stefan: Angry, full of guilt, hasn't said a word to me other than that she wants to be left alone. Is that my journal?

(Stefan takes the journal off the desk.)

Damon: I had to go through six locks to get it.

(Stefan walks off and puts the journal back on its shelf.)

Damon: I needed something to back up your insanity. You figure out how to tell Klaus you lost a hunter and a hybrid?

Stefan: He's on a plane, which means I get to live for another six hours.

Damon: Well, I got your back, you know, when he comes to murder you.

Stefan: Thanks. Thanks for not saying anything to Elena.

Damon: About what? About the cure we don't have, can't find, and probably doesn't exist? You're welcome.

(Stefan pours himself a drink.)

Stefan: She doesn't need to know that she killed her chance of being human again.

Damon: Alleged chance.

Stefan: I believe him, Damon. You didn't hear Klaus' story. I believed every word he said.

(Damon gets up and pours himself another drink.)

Damon: Well, I'll remain a skeptic for now. So what's your next move?

Stefan: He said there was a Brotherhood of the Five, which means there are other hunters out there and I'm just gonna keep looking until I find one.

Damon: Sure, Stefan, since you asked; I'd be happy to go on a suicide mission with you for a potentially non-existent cure. No problem.

(Stefan laughs.)

Stefan: Yet a couple of hours ago, you were ready to rip my heart out.

Damon: Because you were being a pain in the ass.

(Stefan takes a drink.)

Damon: Tell me one thing. Why do you want to cure her?

Stefan: What kind of question is that?

Damon: A legitimate one. You want to cure her because she's a vampire and she's not cut out to be? Or you can't love her if she is one?

Stefan: I'll always love her. But she's not supposed to be this person. I don't want her to be.

Damon: Well, if I'm gonna ride this fairy tale to its conclusion, I want to be clear about one thing.

Stefan: What's that?

Damon: I'm fine with her either way, brother. So, if I do this, I'm doing it for you.

(Damon takes one last drink, puts his glass down, and walks out of the room. Stefan stands in his room and takes a drink.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Elena is in the shower. Her blood stained clothes lie on the floor. In the shower, she has her head placed against the cool tile. She lifts her hands to her face and sees the blood staining them. She moves towards the water and lets the blood wash off of her.)

Elena: (voiceover) Dear diary, today I did the thing I was most afraid of. I lost control. I killed someone. I used to think the worst feeling in the world was losing someone you loved, but I was wrong.

(Elena is sitting at her desk, writing in her diary.)

Elena: (voiceover) The worst feeling is the moment that you realize that you've lost yourself.

(As Elena continues to write, blood starts dripping down on her hand. She puts down her pen and touches her nose to see if it's bleeding. She looks down at the floor and sees small pools of blood leading to the bathroom. She follows the trail of blood and opens the door to the bathroom. She flips on the lights and sees the bathroom is splattered in blood. She looks at the mirror and sees the word "KILLER" written in blood on the mirror. She gasps and backs up. She slips on some blood and falls to the ground. When she sits up, she sees that the bathroom is spotless without a drop of blood in sight. She stands up and looks in the mirror. The word KILLER is gone. She looks down at her arms and around the room. Elena is terrified of what is happening to her.)


	6. We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes

**We All Go A Little Made Sometimes**

_Everything has been crazy ever since Elena and Willow came a Vampire and ever since then everyone has been on edge lately Willow has been seeing a Different Elena her feelings for Damon has Magnifed Willow is just taking a shower feeling all her thoughts down the drain as she keeps thinking about the dreams she has been having lately She is on this island traped inside a Cave with a Man in the dark reaching for me but everytime he gets close he disappears she feels that something is after her but doesn't now what shutting off the shower she gets out and dries off Putting on some Black jeans a Blue blouse and and her hair stright and Flowing down her back to her waist taking her bag and car keys decides to head out to visit Elena_

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Elena lies in her bed. She is breathing hard and can't seem to get to sleep. She gets up and goes to the kitchen. She places a glass of milk in the microwave and warms it up.)

Connor: Can't sleep?

(Elena turns around frightened, but sees no one there. The microwave beeps, making Elena jump. She opens the door and takes the cup out. She turns around and sees Connor leaning on the counter. She gasps.)

Connor: You know it makes sense; guilty conscience.

Elena: You're not here. I'm – I've got to be dreaming.

Connor: And how do you know that I'm not here?

(He starts walking towards Elena. Elena walks backwards, trying to keep distance between them.)

Elena: Because you're…

Connor: Go on, say it.

Elena: Because you're dead.

Connor: Yes, I am. Was that the first time that you've taken a human life?

Elena: You're a ghost. That's gotta be it. You're a ghost, that's what's happening right now. Jer… Jeremy. Jeremy!

(Upstairs, Jeremy hears Elena call for him and wakes up.)

Elena: You're a ghost; you're haunting me. You're a ghost; you're haunting me.

Connor: Can a ghost do this?

(Connor grabs Elena in a chokehold and strangles her. Elena thrusts her elbow into his stomach and releases herself from his grasp. She pushes him, sending Connor flying across a table. Connor gets up and starts to walk back towards Elena. Elena grabs a knife and stabs Connor in the neck. She removes the blade from his neck and sees that she has just stabbed Jeremy, not Connor. Elena drops the knife.)

Elena: Oh my god! (Jeremy falls to the ground, Elena goes down with him. She is in tears.)

Elena: Jer! Jer! Jer! Jer! No, no, no, no, no, no

(Elena looks down at Jeremy's hand and sees that he is wearing his ring, but this doesn't make her feel any better.)

Elena: No, no. Jer! Jeremy!

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Jeremy is lying dead on the couch. Elena is pacing in front of him. Damon is in the room with her Willow is sitting down n front of Jeremy trying to find his Pulse or his soul)

Elena: I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?

Damon: Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Ric crazy? (Elena glares at him) You should have called Stefan.

Elena: I don't want to talk to him. He's been lying to me and hiding things from me. He compelled Jeremy to forget God knows what.

Damon: In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan.

Elena: I don't trust him right now, Damon.

(Stefan walks in the house. Elena and Damon look at him.)

Stefan: Hey.

Damon: PS, I called Stefan.

(Stefan walks over to Elena.)

Stefan: What happened? Why did you call me?

Elena: I just - I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands.

(Elena walks out of the room. Jeremy comes back to life with a dramatic gasp.)

Stefan: Welcome back. How are you feeling?

Jeremy: What happened?

Damon: Long story, buy the e-book Nice Work Little Mage.

Jeremy: Thanks for bringing me back so you going tell me what happened.

Willow: Elena has been seeing the Ghost of Conner I think because he is a Hunter any vampire that Kills them will get tormented like they won't rest until they made a least one kill of a vampire.

Damon: How do you know this.

Willow: I've been doing some research on them and find that if you kill a Hunter you will be cursed and driven Mad by the Hunter you killed they will drive you insane until they Kill you or you kill yourself

Stefan: That is troubling we need to find out how to stop this curse from Killing Elena

**ELENA'S BEDROOM**

(Stefan walks up the stairs and into Elena's room. Elena is changing into a robe. She sees Stefan but walks past him.)

Stefan: Elena. Hey. Listen, I know you're still upset about yesterday and I get it, believe me, but just let me help you.

Elena: I don't want your help right now, Stefan.

Stefan: But you'll accept Damon's?

(Elena turns and looks at Stefan.)

Elena: Don't make this about Damon. You've been working with Klaus doing God knows what, and don't insult me by trying to deny it.

Stefan: Listen, it's not what you think, okay?

Elena: I don't know what to think, but I do know that I don't want to talk to you and I don't really wanna be around you right now.

(Elena walks past him again. Stefan grabs her arm.)

Stefan: Please just...

(Elena rips her arm out of his grasp.)

Elena: No! (Elena shows him her hands.) This is my brother's blood on my hands, Stefan. I stabbed him in the neck last night. So forgive me if I'm not in the mood to listen to you try to talk your way out of this.

(Elena walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. Stefan looks hurt.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Hayley is being poured a shot. Tyler walks into the room.)

Tyler: You're still going? I drank enough last night and then I slept, which is what you guys should have done.

Chris: We're just paying our respects to Dean.

Tyler: That's great, Chris, but could you pay them at a bar instead?

Hayley: Don't be mad. We're celebrating our fallen hybrid friend.

(Hayley walks over to Tyler and pours her shot in his mouth. She wipes her thumb across his bottom lip and sticks her thumb in her mouth. Klaus enters the room.)

Klaus: Well, don't let me interrupt.

Tyler: I didn't know you were here.

Klaus: Clearly.

(Klaus takes a drink from a bottle of alcohol he brought with him.)

Klaus: I just popped round to celebrate Dean's successful retrieval of the vampire hunter. Yet when I arrived, I learnt that not only was Dean unsuccessful, but that Elena killed the hunter.

Hayley: Well, maybe if you had let Dean use force on Connor instead of sending him in on a suicide mission.

Klaus: Maybe you should mind your business, wolf girl.

Tyler: What do you care if Connor's dead anyway?

Klaus: I have my reasons. They've ceased to matter. Cheers.

(Klaus raises the bottle of alcohol and takes a drink. There's a knock at the door. Tyler goes to answer it. Caroline enters with a box of stuff.)

Caroline: I brought your stuff. Old laptop, your jersey, the charm bracelet.

Tyler: Care, this isn't a good time.

Caroline: Just take it.

(She shoves the box into Tyler's hands. Klaus places his bottle down and walks over to Caroline.)

Klaus: Caroline.

(Caroline looks at him and folds her arms across her chest.)

Klaus: By the break-up drama unfolding before me I assume you've met Hayley. (Caroline says nothing.) Alright, come on, let's go. Let's leave them alone. Your talents are needed elsewhere.

Tyler: For what?

Klaus: I think you've got more important things to deal with, mate.

(Klaus and his hybrids leave. Caroline closes the door and smiles.)

Caroline: Do you think he bought it?

Hayley: Hell, I bought it.

Caroline: (laughs) Thanks for the heads up that he was here, Hayley.

Tyler: You girls are good liars.

(Tyler kisses Caroline. Hayley watches them, awkwardly.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Elena is in the shower. As she cleans herself off, she looks down and sees blood. She gasps and backs up. When she looks up at the shower head there's nothing there. She looks back down and sees blood again; freaked out by this, Elena jumps out of the shower.)

(Damon is downstairs, cleaning up blood. Stefan enters the room.)

Damon: Where did Jeremy go?

Stefan: School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit.

Damon: Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jammed a knife in his neck.

(Stefan's phone rings.)

Stefan: It's Klaus.

Damon: Oooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil.

Stefan: You know, I'm glad you find this amusing. If he finds out I told you about the cure, he'll kill both of us.

Damon: Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed.

(Stefan answers the phone.)

Stefan: I don't want to talk about it.

(Klaus is outside, walking through a neighborhood.)

Klaus: Well, I can't imagine why, what with you ruining all my plans for a hybrid filled future.

Stefan: Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy.

(Stefan looks at Damon. Damon nods.)

Klaus: Well, life's full of ifs, Stefan. But let's accentuate the positives, shall we? The hunter was one of five; we'll find another. It may take centuries, but we've got nothing but time, right?

Stefan: You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?

Klaus: Not you, if that's what you're worried about. But I am concerned about your beloved. Have the hallucinations started yet?

(Stefan and Damon look at each other.)

Stefan: What do you know about that?

Klaus: I'll tell you. Where are you?

Stefan: I'm at her house.

Klaus: How convenient, so am I.

(Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan hangs up his phone. Stefan opens the front door and walks outside, past Klaus. Klaus follows him.)

Klaus: You know, this would all be a lot more civilized if I was just invited inside.

Stefan: It's bad enough I'm out here talking to you. What do you know?

Klaus: I killed the original five hunters, remember? When one kills a hunter, there's a bit of a consequence.

Stefan: What kind of consequence?

Klaus: The hunters were spelled by witches to kill vampires; if you prevent one from fulfilling his destiny then he'll take you down with him.

Stefan: What do you mean? Connor's dead.

Klaus: I mean, Connor's death won't prevent him from making Elena his final vampire kill. She'll need to come with me now. I'll lock her up, keep her away from any sharp wooden objects.

Stefan: She's not going anywhere with you.

Klaus: Well, if we leave her alone, she'll take her own life before the day is out.

Stefan: She's stronger than that.

Klaus: Is she? Believe me, it's for her own good.

(Elena comes out of the bathroom. She looks in the mirror as she adjusts her sweater and sees Connor standing behind her. She gasps and turns around. Connor touches the blood on his neck and walks towards her.)

Connor: Would you like some? You seemed to enjoy it when you drink from me.

Elena: I wasn't myself. I was angry.

Connor: Were you yourself when you snapped my neck with your bare hands?

Elena: You staked me.

Connor: Because you're a monster and you deserve to die. Admit it.

Elena: No!

(Elena walks out of her room. Damon is still downstairs, cleaning up in the kitchen. Elena enters the kitchen.)

Elena: Damon….

(Elena looks at Damon, but she sees Connor instead. He stands up.)

Connor: Decomposition starts in the first twenty four hours. I'm rotting in an unmarked grave because of you.

Elena: No!

(Elena backs away.)

Damon: What's wrong?

(Elena runs to the front door. Damon follows her.)

Damon: Elena!

(Klaus and Stefan are still outside. They hear the front door open and Elena runs onto the porch and stops. Klaus superspeeds towards her, grabs her, and leaves. Damon walks out onto the porch and sees Stefan standing in the middle of the yard by himself.)

Damon: Elena!

(Damon looks at Stefan. Stefan looks around, worried.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

(Jeremy is looking down at the tattoo on his hand. Matt walks over to him.)

Jeremy: Hey, do you see anything on my hand?

(Matt looks at his hand and shakes his head.)

Jeremy: What if I told you I saw the beginning of a mark like Connor's?

Matt: Are you serious?

Jeremy: It showed up after he died. He told me that I was a potential. That that's why I could see his mark.

Matt: So what does that make you? Like, the next chosen one or something?

(April and Professor Shane walk up to them, carrying artifacts.)

April: Hey guys.

Matt: Hey April.

Shane: Well, don't let her do the heavy lifting. I found her wandering the hallways with this. (He shows them a giant rock.) Just teasing, I'm the guy who wrangles all the freaky stuff. (He shakes Matt and Jeremy's hands.) Atticus Shane, please call me Shane, I beg you. Thank you guys for helping, I really appreciate it. You all get free admission to my free exhibit.

(Shane walks away.)

April: Why does he look so familiar?

Jeremy: No idea.

April: Hey, umm, have you guys seen Rebekah? She said she was gonna help me look into what caused the explosion at my dad's farm and then she just...

Matt: Disappeared, yeah I know.

(Matt picks up a box and walks off. April and Jeremy look at each other.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Bonnie, Stefan, and Damon are in the kitchen together.)

Bonnie: You lost her?

Damon: Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is.

Stefan: I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse.

Bonnie: How does Klaus even know about this?

Damon: How does Klaus know anything? Guy's like a billion years old.

Stefan: He said it was a witch's curse.

(He looks at Bonnie.)

Bonnie: You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..

Damon: But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever.

Bonnie: The spirits won't let me do the magic I'd need to break the curse. But I can ask Shane for help, he knows everything about everything.

Stefan: Great, you two do your thing.

Damon: Where are you going?

Stefan: I'm gonna get her back.

(Stefan leaves.)

**KLAUS MANSION**

(Chris opens the door to a room. Klaus drags Elena into the room.)

Elena: Let go of me.

Klaus: Certainly. (Klaus lets her go.) I apologize for the lack of windows; it's to preserve the art. And of course to prevent you from taking off your daylight ring and burning yourself to death in the sun.

Elena: I'm not gonna kill myself. I would never do that.

Klaus: Oh, but you'll want to. I did. Problem is, I'm immortal.

Elena: You went through this?

Klaus: Yes, I did. For fifty-two years, four months, and nine days. I was tormented, in my dreams, my every waking moment, relentless, never ending torture. It was the only period of my life when I actually felt time.

Elena: So, you knew that this would happen if Connor died? That's why you got involved. Did Stefan know too?

Klaus: All he knew was that the hunter had to be kept alive. You should have listened to him when he said he had it covered, love.

Elena: What else does Stefan know?

Klaus: Well, that's one of life's little mysteries, isn't it?

(Klaus backs away and heads for the door.)

Elena: How did you make it stop?

(Klaus stops and looks at her.)

Klaus: I didn't. Eventually it just stopped. The hallucinations tend to appear in strange forms.

(Klaus knocks on the door of the chamber. Chris opens the door.)

Klaus: Don't say I didn't warn you.

(Klaus walks out of the room and Chris shuts the door.)

(Stefan is talking on the phone to Caroline)

Stefan: He's got Elena. I need Tyler to get the other hybrids away, so I can get her out. I know I'm probably asking the impossible but...

Caroline: Actually, you're not.

(Stefan looks surprised.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Tyler is talking to Stefan in the living room. Caroline is with them.)

Tyler: Hayley is the one that helped me break the sire bond. She showed me what to do, how to help. When she showed up here I thought it was just coincidence, but it turns out she's been helping one of them, her friend Chris. And she came to help us get the rest of them out from under Klaus.

Stefan: So... are you telling me that Chris isn't sired anymore?

Caroline: That's exactly what he's telling you.

**KLAUS MANSION**

Chris: Clothes, toothbrush. (Chris places a duffel bag on the bed.) Klaus said you're gonna be here until he figures out where to put you.

Elena: Just... please go away.

(Chris leaves. Connor appears.)

Connor: I can't. I'm going to be with you forever, a constant reminder of what you've become. So, tell me, how did it feel to drain the life out of me?

Elena: It was horrible. It was the worst thing that I've ever done.

Connor: You're lying.

Elena: No, I'm not.

Connor: Yes, you are. Tell the truth.

Elena: I am telling the truth.

Connor: You're lying.

(Elena gets up and walks over to him.)

Elena: Fine! I liked it. I loved the taste of your blood. Are you happy?

Connor: I'm not happy, Elena. I'm dead. Did you know I had a family? A brother, parents.

Elena: I'm sorry. I'm – I'm really sorry.

Connor: Are you sorry about your parents? It's your fault they died.

Elena: Don't.

Connor: They ran off Wickery Bridge with you in the car, but they weren't supposed to be there, were they? They died because of you. And I'm not going to stop until you've taken your last, miserable breath.

Elena: I'm not going to let you do this to me.

(Connor laughs.)

Connor: Then get rid of me. Kill yourself. You never wanted to be a vampire in the first place, now look at what you've become. You're a monster, and you deserve to die.

(Elena turns away from him, covering her ears.)

Connor: You don't want to listen to me? Fine.

(Elena turns back around.)

Katherine: Then how about you and I have a little chat.

Elena: Katherine?

Katherine: Did you miss me?

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

(Professor Shane is giving a lecture on the artifacts at the exhibit.)

Shane: You're looking at what people believed to be the world's first tombstone. This item was donated to Whitmore College last month.

(April and Matt are watching his lecture.)

April: Oh, I just remember how I know him. Through my dad.

Matt: That guy knew your dad?

April: Yeah, he taught a theology seminar at Whitmore last year.

Shane: It belonged to a very powerful witch, a witch so powerful in fact that Silas, that was his name, created a spell that would grant him immortality. Now legend says that Silas did the spell with the help of a lady witch who loved him, a woman named Qetsiyah. Sadly for Qetsiyah, Silas wanted to give immortality to another woman, so Qetsiyah killed her and buried Silas alive, leaving him powerless, immortal, and alone. This might actually be the origin story of "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn."

(Damon Willow and Bonnie have walked into the room and have been listening to Shane's speech.)

Damon: You got this?

Bonnie: Yeah, I'll bring him to you.

(Damon walks away.)

Shane: Now, it's said that Silas wants to rise again. (Damon pauses.) Regain his power, wreak havoc on the world. Maybe we should be afraid. Or maybe it's all a bunch of crap and this is just an old rock There is said that a Mage will be the Key to his awakening.

Damon:( Looks at Willow worried that all this could be related to her but Not wanting to believe it just leaves)

(Everyone laughs.)

Shane: Alright, listen, enjoy exploring the exhibit. I'll be around to answer any questions. Thank you for coming.

(Everyone gets up and starts to wander towards the exhibits. Shane walks over to Bonnie.)

Shane: Hey, you made it.

Bonnie: Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a badass.

Shane: Nothing compared to Silas.

**KLAUS MANSION**

(Katherine is circling around Elena who is sitting in chair, crying.)

Katherine: Don't you ever stop crying? Poor Elena, always the victim. Except now you're a killer. What does Stefan think of the new you?

Elena: Shut up!

Katherine: The girl he fell in love with is gone, you know. You're like me now, maybe worse.

Elena: I made a mistake. I can do better.

Katherine: No, you can't. You're a vampire. You'll kill again, it'll change you and it'll keep changing you until you're just like me.

(Elena gets up and stares down Katherine.)

Elena: I am nothing like you.

Katherine: I was you before you even existed. And when Stefan knew the real me, he hated me. And now he's gonna hate you too. (She turns around and starts to walk away.) But, at least you still have Damon.

Elena: Shut up!

(Elena attacks Katherine, but since she's not actually there, she just lands on the bed. She sits up, still crying with her hands on her head.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL – ALARIC'S CLASSROOM**

(Damon sits at Alaric's desk. He opens up a drawer and finds a bottle of bourbon. He takes it out with a smile and props his feet up on the desk.)

Damon: You're missing all the adventure, pal. ( Watching Willow seated at a Desk waiting for Bonnie to get here with Shane a Little concerned about her lately being tired)

(He holds the bottle up for Alaric and takes a swig. Bonnie and Shane enter the room.)

Bonnie: Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too.

Damon: I audited your class. Very enlightening.

Shane: That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?

Damon: The origin of a species.

Shane: Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction.

Damon: Not that species.

Shane: You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome.

Damon: I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe.

(Damon pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Shane. Shane takes it and looks at it.)

Shane: This is the hunter's mark. Where did you get this?

Damon: Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the hunter's curse?

Shane: Why, you got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?

Damon: Metaphorically speaking.

Shane: Legend says that if a hunter is killed by that which it hunts, then that person will be cursed to walk the Earth in torment until….

Willow: Until?

Shane: Until the new hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials.

(Damon takes out his phone as Shane continues to talk.)

Shane: Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?

Damon: That'd be great. (Shane hands the hunter's mark drawing back to Damon.) Hey, thanks.

(Shane leaves the classroom. Willow looks at Damon.)

Willow: How are we supposed to find a potential hunter?

Damon: Yeah, about that.

(Damon has called someone on his phone. He puts it up to his ear.)

Damon: Little Gilbert, your services are needed.

(Damon looks up at Bonnie with a sly look on his face.)

**KLAUS MANSION**

(Tyler, Stefan, and Chris all walk into the parlor room.)

Tyler: Thanks for meeting us.

Chris: Yeah, but make it fast, Klaus will be back soon.

Tyler: No, he won't.

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Klaus is sitting at the bar, drinking a glass of wine. Caroline approaches him.)

Caroline: (taking off her jacket) Place looks pretty good considering your hybrid got blown up in it.

Klaus: Caroline. To what do I owe the pleasure?

(Caroline stands next to him.)

Caroline: I want you to give Elena back.

Klaus: Ah, they sent you to sweet talk me. Well, good form, but I'm afraid I can't do it.

Caroline: Why not?

Klaus: She needs my help.

(Caroline scoffs and rolls her eyes.)

Klaus: Look, I'm not gonna burden you with the gory details, I know you have enough on your plate already.

Caroline: That's none of your business, actually.

Klaus: Yes, well, just know that if Tyler was still sired to me he never would have hurt you.

(Caroline looks at him. Klaus looks up at her.)

Klaus: I wouldn't have let him. Can I at least offer you a drink?

(Caroline hesitates.)

Caroline: Yeah. Thanks.

(Klaus smiles.)

**KLAUS MANSION**

Stefan: All you need to do is get me access to Elena and I'll take it from there.

Tyler: Please, man, help us and then you can disappear. You'll be free.

Chris: Yeah, until Klaus sends one of his other hybrids after me.

Tyler: Hayley and I got your back. We'll make sure nothing happens.

(Katherine is still tormenting Elena in another room.)

Katherine: You were such a good girl when you were human. Always willing to sacrifice yourself for your friends; except weren't they usually the ones that ended up getting hurt?

Elena: I never wanted that.

Katherine: Bonnie lost her Grams because of you. Her mom was turned into a vampire because of you. You know, she probably secretly hates you. Did you ever think of that? I bet she'd be relieved if you were gone and Willow when you dumped a Vase over her head just to keep her from taking away your time in the spotlight.

Elena: I'm not gonna kill myself!

Katherine: Ugh, why not? Your very existence brings people nothing but pain. I mean, maybe it was worth it when you were worth it, but you're nothing now. You're a monster, Elena. You deserve to die.

(Elena is in tears. She falls back into a chair.)

(Outside of the room, Chris approaches the two hybrids standing guard at Elena's room.)

Chris: Klaus said you two have to go to Tyler.

Kimberly: Why?

Chris: Something about his girl Caroline. I'll take over here.

(The two hybrids look at each other and walk off. Chris watches them leave. Stefan turns around the corner and walks towards Chris. Chris hands him the keys. Stefan unlocks the door to Elena's room and enters. Elena is sitting on the floor with her arms wrapped around her legs. She gasps and turns to look at the door.)

Stefan: Elena. Hey.

(Stefan walks into the room slowly. Elena starts to back away. She sees Stefan as Connor.)

Stefan: Hey, it's okay. It's me.

Elena: No, no. (She scrambles off the floor and continues to back away.) Stay - Stay away from me.

Stefan: Let me help you.

(Elena rushes towards the bed and grabs a lead pipe that is underneath it. She rushes at Stefan. Stefan grabs her by the wrist, preventing her from harming him.)

Stefan: Elena, stop!

(Elena throws Stefan against the wall and rushes at him. She stabs him in the stomach with the lead pipe and rushes out of the room. Stefan falls to the floor.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

(Damon Willow and Bonnie are standing in the hallway by the artifacts. Bonnie brandishes papers about the Five at him.)

Bonnie: How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?

Damon: The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations.

(Jeremy runs into the room.)

Jeremy: Is everything okay? Is it Elena?

Bonnie: We figured out how to help her. You need to kill a vampire.

Jeremy: Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now.

Willow: Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry.

(Damon's phone rings.)

Bonnie: Before you do this, you need to know what you're getting yourself into.

(Bonnie pushes the papers into his hands. Damon answers his phone and speaks to Stefan.)

Damon: You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem.

Stefan: (removing the pipe) Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her.

Damon: What? Again?

Stefan: She's in bad shape. I tried to help her but she attacked me. Listen, you go find her, alright? Talk her down, she'll listen to you. Just tell me what I need to do to end this.

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Caroline is looking at her phone. She's received multiple messages from Stefan about Elena escaping. She looks at Klaus and smiles innocently.)

Caroline: So, here's the thing, I didn't just come here to try to get you to release Elena.

Klaus: You don't say.

Caroline: I came here to distract you so that Stefan could go to your house and break her out, which he did. And, don't get mad, but then he lost her.

(Klaus gets up in a fury. Caroline gets up as well.)

Caroline: Klaus.

(Klaus turns and looks at her.)

Klaus: Caroline, you're beautiful, but if you don't stop talking, I will kill you.

(Klaus turns around and starts to walk off.)

Caroline: They figured out how to stop the hallucinations.

(He stops and turns around towards her again.)

Klaus: Okay, you have ten seconds to tell me.

**OUTSIDE**

(Elena is walking down a street. She is having flashbacks about the night she became a vampire, feeding on people at the frat party, and killing Connor. Connor and Katherine walk on either side of her, tormenting her farther.)

Connor: Are you ready to die yet? You know it's your only way out of this.

Katherine: You can't take back what you did. It can never be undone. You're a monster. You deserve to die.

(Elena stops abruptly. She is standing on the Wickery Bridge. She walks over to the railing and looks down into the water.)

Miranda: It's okay, sweetie.

(Elena looks over and sees her mom standing beside her.)

Elena: Mom?

(Miranda smiles at Elena and pushes her hair behind her ear. She gently caresses Elena's cheek.)

Miranda: I know what you're going through. It's okay. This bridge is where your life should have ended.

(She drops her hand from Elena's cheek.)

Miranda: Not just once, but twice. You were ready to die, remember?

Elena: (shaking her head) I don't know what to do.

Miranda: Yes you do, honey. You know exactly what to do.

(Miranda looks down at Elena's hand. Elena looks down and lifts up her hand. She stares at her daylight ring. Miranda looks up at her and smiles.)

Miranda: That's right. The sun will come up and this will all be over. It's the right thing to do, Elena. You know it is. Admit it.

Elena: Because I'm a monster. And I deserve to die.

(Elena looks back over the bridge, takes off her ring, and drops it into the water below.)

**WICKERY BRIDGE**

(Elena continues to stand on the bridge. She watches as dawn approaches over the mountain range.)

Elena: I can't do this. I can't leave Jeremy.

Miranda: Jeremy is better off without you, don't you see that?

Elena: But Mom, he won't have anyone.

Miranda: He'll have you. You'll be a ghost who helps him, not a monster who hurts him.

Elena: (crying) You're – you're right. I – I – I'm sorry I… Mommy, I didn't mean to disappoint you.

Miranda: You didn't. You were everything I ever wanted you to be. But you died, and you were supposed to stay dead.

(Behind Elena, Damon approaches.)

Damon: Elena.

(Elena turns and looks at him.)

Elena: Damon?

(She turns back and sees her mom is gone. She is upset, but turns back to look at Damon.)

Elena: How did you find me?

Damon: Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm.

Elena: You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself.

Damon: Look at you, being all glass is half empty. Let's just go talk about this before you do something stupid, okay?

(Elena turns her head and sees Connor.)

Connor: The sun will be up soon. It's almost over.

(She nods and looks back out at the water. The sun is slowly starting to rise. She looks down. Damon looks at her hand.)

Damon: Where's your ring?

(Elena doesn't answer.)

Damon: Where's your ring, Elena?

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

Tyler: You're doing a good thing, Chris.

Chris: Yeah, well, let's see how fast a good thing can get me out of town.

(Hayley hugs Chris.)

Hayley: Call me when you're safe, okay?

Chris: Yeah.

(Chris picks up his stuff and opens the front door. Klaus enters the house.)

Klaus: Going somewhere?

(Klaus grabs Chris by the throat and superspeeds him into the staircase.)

Klaus: When I said don't let her out of your sight, what did you think I meant?

Tyler: It's not his fault, it's mine. I was distracting you. It's my fault she got away!

Klaus: Then maybe you should be the one to die for it.

Hayley: No one has to die!

(Klaus rushes at Hayley.)

Klaus: Did I not say mind your business?!

Hayley: Tyler's covering for me. I'm the one that let her go.

Tyler: Hayley…

Hayley: (she stops Tyler) No. You want someone dead, go ahead. Kill me. I'd rather die anyway than end up as one of your sired little bitches.

Klaus: Don't tempt me, little wolf.

(Klaus turns around to Chris.)

Klaus: Your existence is to serve me. To please me. Do you understand?

Chris: I'm sorry, I won't fail you again.

Klaus: No, you won't. (He moves aside.) Get out of here.

(Chris quickly walks to the front door. Stefan comes through the door and stabs him with a stake. Chris falls to the ground.)

Hayley: No!

(Hayley covers her hand with her mouth and cries. Jeremy walks into the house with a cleaver in his hands.)

Tyler: Jeremy?

**WICKERY BRIDGE**

Damon: We need to get you inside.

(Elena looks at him. Connor stands behind her.)

Connor: It's almost time.

Damon: What you're going through is a curse. We know how to break it, but we just have to get you inside.

Connor: Don't let him stop you. I know you want to, but you can't. Don't.

(Damon looks over at the mountains and sees the sun has inched its way farther up in the sky.)

Damon: Damn it, Elena.

(Damon rushes at her and tries to grab her, but she rushes around him and stays a good distance away.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

Tyler: What the hell, man?!

Stefan: I'm sorry.

(Stefan looks at Jeremy and nods. Jeremy chops Chris' head off with the cleaver. Hayley screams and hides her face.)

**WICKERY BRIDGE**

(Elena feels the side effects of the curse lift off.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Jeremy looks down at his hand. The tattoo starts to grow across his arm.)

**WICKORY BRIDGE**

(Elena breathes heavily. She opens her eyes. Connor has gone.)

Elena: He's gone.

Damon: It's okay.

(Elena and Damon start to hear a sizzling noise. Elena looks down. Her flesh is burning. Damon looks over and sees the sun has started to rise. He looks back at Elena. Her face is burning now as well.)

Elena: (scared) Damon?

(Damon rushes at Elena, grabs her, and throws himself and Elena over the bridge and into the water.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Elena wakes up in her bed. She looks at her hand and sees she has her daylight ring back on. She slowly starts to sit up.)

Damon: Fished it out of the river for you.

(She turns and looks at him. He is sitting on her window seat.)

Damon: Little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?

Elena: My head's clear. I can remember everything, but not like I lived it, like it was a really bad dream. (pauses, remembering) You saved me. Thank you.

Damon: Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide.

(He gets up and sits on her bed.)

Damon: Don't do it.

(Elena smiles.)

Elena: I just can't believe that I almost…

Damon: You weren't yourself.

(Elena takes his hand in hers.)

Elena: Yeah, but if it wasn't for you...

(Damon looks down at her hand holding his. She looks down as well. Damon holds her hand up and rubs his thumb in circles over the back of her hand.)

Damon: (sighs) I'm about to take a very high, annoying road and tell you something.

(He takes his hand away from hers and places it on top of her hand instead of holding it.)

Damon: Because I know that you think Stefan's been lying to you. Which, yeah, he has, but this rough patch that you two have been going through is not what you think. Everything that he's been doing, he's been doing for you. To help you. And after he kills me for telling you this, I want you to throw my ashes off of Wickery Bridge, okay?

(Elena laughs.)

Damon: There may be a way out of this for you, Elena.

(Elena looks at him, confused.)

Damon: There may be a cure.

(Elena is surprised.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Hayley is asleep on the couch. Tyler is sitting next to her in a stupor with a bottle of scotch in his hands. Caroline enters the room.)

Caroline: Tyler.

Tyler: (stirs) It's just us. Paying our respects to Chris.

(Tyler takes a swig from the bottle.)

Caroline: Tyler, we didn't have a choice.

Tyler: I told him we had his back. I told him if he helped us he'd be free.

Caroline: But we needed to help our friend.

Tyler: Yeah, we helped our friend by handing over another friend.

Caroline: Chris wasn't…

Tyler: Chris was a friend, Caroline. He's like me. He's part of my pack. All he wanted to do was be unsired by that disgusting piece of… (He sighs. After a moment, he looks at Caroline.) How did you even get Klaus to agree to give up one of his hybrids?

Caroline: I agreed to go on a date with him.

(Tyler nods and gets up.)

Caroline: I just thought that it might help keep up the ruse between you and Hayley.

(Tyler pours himself another drink and looks at her. He throws his glass against the wall behind her. Caroline flinches. Hayley wakes up from the loud noise.)

Hayley: What the hell is going on?

Tyler: Nothing. Nothing at all. Just celebrating the life of a fallen hybrid friend.

(He looks at Caroline. She looks back at him with fear and sadness.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Damon takes off his jacket and sits down at the bar.)

Damon: (to the bartender) Bourbon.

(He looks at the seat next to him.)

Damon: Make that two.

(Matt walks up and stands on the other side of Damon.)

Matt: You're still saving a spot for Mr. Saltzman, huh?

Damon: I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified.

Matt: I know that you don't like me.

(Damon moves one of the bourbons in front of the empty seat next to him.)

Matt: But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about.

(Damon urges him to continue, non-verbally.)

Matt: So, April mentioned that her dad knew that Professor Shane guy. Which wouldn't be creepy, except, he had all that info about the hunter's curse, and we live in a town where, you know, anybody who knows stuff is creepy until proven otherwise.

Damon: You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home.

Matt: I got the Sheriff to dig up the pastor's phone records. Turns out, he made like a call a day to the same number the last month he was alive. And on the day that the Council got blown up at the farm, he called it ten times. The office of Professor Atticus Shane.

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Bonnie and Shane are in his office together.)

Shane: Did your, uh, did your friend, Damon, did he get everything he was looking for in my files?

Bonnie: Yeah. Thanks. I – um - I have to ask, how do you know all this stuff?

(Shane pulls up a chair and sits down in front of Bonnie.)

Shane: Bonnie, look, I've been around the world ten times over. I've studied every supernatural creature known to man; and for the record, witches are hands down the most powerful so, I'm in your corner all the way, I'm your biggest ally. But let me just say one thing, when your new hunter – and I know you have one – when he completes his mark you're gonna want to come to me. Cause I'm gonna be the only one who can help, trust me on that, okay?

(Bonnie nods.)

Shane: The only one.

**GILBERT HOUSE **

(Stefan is leaning on a pillar outside the house. Elena opens the door and walks over to him.)

Elena: I'm sorry that I stabbed you.

Stefan: Nah, it's alright, I probably deserved it. So, um, Damon told me that he clued you in.

Elena: You didn't kill him, did you?

Stefan: (laughs) Nah, screw Klaus and his secrets. (He sits down on the porch's steps.) We all want the same thing, we just have to work together for it.

(Elena sits down next to him.)

Elena: Stefan, why did you send Damon to come look for me instead of you?

Stefan: I sent him because lately it seems like he's able to get through to you in ways that I can't. You'll listen to him. You trust him, even when you can't trust me.

Elena: I didn't mean to not…

Stefan: Come on, Elena, I mean after everything that we've been through… You can admit it.

(They look at each other for a long time. Elena looks down and finally responds.)

Elena: You've been so strong for me. Helping me, fighting for that girl that chose you, the girl that I was when I died on the bridge, and I love you so much for wanting to find this cure. Because I'd like nothing more than to get her back, because the – the girl that she's become, that – that I've become is different, somehow. Darker. Who I am, what I want…

Stefan: What you want, or... who you want?

Elena: Something's changed, between Damon and me. Much more than it ever used to be. It's like – it's like everything that I felt for him before I was a vampire…

Stefan: Has been magnified. Your feelings for him have been magnified.

Elena: I'm sorry. I don't want to lie to you.

Stefan: You know, before when I was the, uh, the Ripper, I understood why you cared for him. I mean, I practically drove you to it. But now... I can't do this, Elena.

(Elena looks over at him.)

Stefan: Not anymore.

Elena: I know.

(Stefan looks away from her. Elena looks at him for a moment longer but turns away, fighting back tears. They sit on the porch steps together in silence.)


	7. My Brother's Keeper

My Brother's Keeper

**THE WOODS**

(Stefan is in the woods doing pushups as well as talking to Caroline on the phone.)

Caroline: What do you mean you're not coming? I don't need to remind you that your Miss Mystic Falls attendance record totally sucks.

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Caroline is walking down the stairs with a clipboard and preparing for the pageant. Her phone is to her ear as she continues to talk to Stefan.)

Caroline: Besides, you're a founding family member, by definition you have to be here.

(She walks over to a table where Gabby is arranging some flowers. Caroline grabs the flowers from her hands and rearranges them to her satisfaction. She walks away.)

Stefan: Elena and I broke up. By definition, I don't need to be anywhere.

Caroline: Did that sound as depressing to you as it did to me?

Stefan: Oh, I'm not depressed. I just want to rip into someone's artery and feed until I can't breathe anymore.

**THE WOODS**

(Stefan stops doing pushups and lies down with his back against the ground.)

Caroline: Well, you can't. As your sober sponsor, I am not going to let that happen. Try and sublimate.

(Stefan stares up at the sky in silence for a moment.)

Stefan: She said she has feelings for Damon.

Caroline: What?! She can't have feelings for Damon! He's… Damon. And you're… you. And I'm – revolted. You know, I'm gonna talk to her. I'm going to shake some sense into her clearly diseased brain.

Stefan: Yeah, well I don't know what good that'll do. Elena's right, being a vampire really has changed her.

Caroline: All the more reason you need to cure her.

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Elena walks down the steps. Caroline sees her and Elena starts to walk over to her.)

Caroline: (to Stefan) Look, I got to go. Be careful. And remember, there is sublimating and then there is insanity.

Stefan: I'll be fine. Bye.

(He hangs up. Caroline puts down her phone and looks at Elena.)

**THE WOODS**

(Stefan stands up. Klaus rushes up behind him and grabs him in a chokehold.)

Klaus: In what world do the words tell no one mean tell your brother and every teenage sycophant in town?

Stefan: The secret's safe. No one who knows about the cure will endanger us. Trust me, you know I want to find it more than anyone else.

Klaus: Well then, I suggest you find some more vampires for Jeremy to kill before I'm tempted to offer you up as a victim.

(Klaus releases Stefan from his chokehold. Stefan steps away and turns to look at him.)

Klaus: And try and keep this one to yourself, would you?

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Stefan walks down the stairs with a bag over his shoulder. Damon intercepts him on his way out.)

Damon: Where have you been?

Stefan: Ah, you know, out.

(Stefan walks past Damon and towards the front door.)

Damon: Where you going?

Stefan: Out.

Damon: Okay, I see shady Stefan is back.

(Stefan stops and walks back towards Damon.)

Damon: Please don't tell me that you're still working with Klaus.

Stefan: You obviously haven't heard. Elena and I broke up.

(Damon stays silent for a moment with a blank, expressionless face.)

Damon: Oh. Got it. Uh, well, I'll be quick then. So, apparently, if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the hunter's mark. Now, unless we want Jeremy to go all Connor 2.0; I suggest we find a different hunter.

Stefan: Okay. And?

Damon: And I was gonna ask Professor Shane, but turns out he's shadier than you are. Matt Donovan connected him and the Pastor through phone records. Apparently, the two were very chatty the day that the Pastor blew up the Council.

Stefan: Ah, so you're gonna confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him, that sort of thing.

Damon: Yeah, unless he tells me what he's up to. (He pats Stefan on the shoulder.) What do you say? Should we tag team this?

Stefan: Nah, I'd say you're on your own.

(Stefan starts to leave again, but Damon stops him.)

Damon: Or we could just blow it off and go get drunk. Brother bond over some Tri Delts. If you, you know, want some quality time.

(Stefan grimaces and laughs)

Stefan: Let's not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life.

(Stefan pats Damon on thearm and walks out of the house.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Elena is arranging flowers in a vase at a table. Caroline walks over to her.)

Caroline: Look, I'm your best friend and I would never pick sides, but are you sure that this is what you want? Because Stefan is your soul mate.

(Elena looks up at her.)

Caroline: Sorry. Picking sides.

Elena: It's not like I don't love Stefan anymore, but I can't deny that ever since I turned, my feelings for Damon have become more intense.

Caroline: Yeah, I know. Stefan filled me in on all the gory Damon details.

Elena: He did?

(Elena looks at her for a second, clearly worried.)

Elena: Is he okay?

Caroline: No, he's heartbroken.

Elena: Well, what was I supposed to do? Lie to him?

Caroline: No, but you weren't supposed to let Damon weasel his way into your confused newbie vampire heart.

Elena: Well, he did and that's exactly what I am. Confused. I need to figure out what these feelings actually mean.

(Professor Shane walks down the steps and over to Caroline and Elena.)

Shane: Excuse me, I'm a little lost. I'm here to interview contestants.

Elena: You're Professor Shane.

(Elena and Caroline look at each other.)

Shane: Yeah, that's right. Professor by day; pageant judge by other day. In spite of being absurdly unqualified, I'm apparently awarding a scholarship.

Caroline: Uh, inside by the parlor.

(Shane points up towards the is just about to Walk down the stairs when she bumps shane)

Willow: Oh I'm so Sorry Professor Shane hope nothing is hurt.

Shane:( Surprise and smiling at her) No its Okay your Name is Willow brucannon isn't it.

Willow: Yes that's me How do you know m name.

Shane: Bonnie told me she also told me your special Gifts of you being a Mage

Willow: Not something that I need to gossip about with you know Vampires around.

Shane: Oh No your secret is safe with me Tell me about your Abilty's do you have the Power to bring back the dead.

Willow: Yeah I can but it takes a Lot of Energy to do the Power and it also makes me know everything about me don't you.

Shane: I know everything about you how you are the Great Great grand daughter of Elizabeth Brucannon who was of royal Blood cousins to Alexander the first Prince of Wales your Special connections and your Blood is a Miracle One Day you will find that out for yourself for know the rest will be told soon just make sure Nobody Kills you for you are very Special.( Leaving Willow who is ver confused with how Shane knows her) Shane walks away. Elena turns and looks at Caroline.)

Elena: He's the one who told Damon how to break the hunter's curse.

Caroline: He's also the one that has Bonnie so obsessed with practicing magic that she bailed on pageant prep.

Elena: And now he's judging Miss Mystic Falls?

(Caroline raises her eyebrows.)

Elena: Jack of all trades or kind of creepy? ( Watching as Willow walks over to them looking a little shaking up) Hey Willow are you okay.

Willow: Um Not Really That Professer Shane Knows about me even down to my ancester Elizabeth Brucannon who was cousins to Royalty My great grandfather Alexander Prince of Wales and Willam who rules Italy as a King he even knows about me being a Mage Know I'm freaked out.

Caroline:( Rubbing Willow's Arm) Hey it will be Okay he is kinda creepy if you ask me

Elena: That is strange how he knows everything even about you but don't worry we will find out why

(Matt and Jeremy are taking out boxes from the back of Matt's pickup.)

Matt: So, your sister is making me be her date. Think I'll have to do that weird dance thing?

Jeremy: I'm pretty sure that's just for the contestants.

Matt: I heard that you're April's escort. How'd that happen?

Jeremy: Well, she needed a date and apparently you were taken.

(Matt grins and laughs. He grabs one of the kegs in the back of his truck and tries to lift it up, but it's too heavy for him.)

Matt: Okay, let's just take these in and we'll come back for the kegs.

Jeremy: No, wait.

(He jumps up into the bed of the truck.)

Jeremy: You want to see something cool?

(Jeremy picks up one keg in each hand as if they weigh nothing, jumps down from the bed of the truck, and places the kegs on the ground. Matt looks at him with a mix of being impressed and worried.)

Matt: How did you just do that?

Jeremy: Ever since I was awoken as a Hunter, I've had all this energy, like all the time.

Matt: Jer, I think you need to talk to someone about this. I mean, look what happened to Connor, okay. A by product of this energy is that you're gonna want to kill vampires and you happen to live with one.

Jeremy: Hey, I would never hurt my sister.

(Jeremy starts to walk away.)

Jeremy: I'll be fine.

(He grabs a cart and starts to push it towards the house. Matt watches him leave with a look of worry on his face.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL**

(Stefan walks into the hospital through a back entrance. He quietly closes the door behind him. He walks over to a room and picks up the clipboard from the door. He reads that the patient in the room is having an appendectomy at 8:30 and places the clipboard back in its holder. He walks over to another room and looks at a man lying in a hospital bed. He picks up his clipboard and reads that he has quadruple bypass complications. He glances once more at the man and places the clipboard back. Stefan walks down the hallway and looks over at a police officer standing guard at one of the doors to a patient's room. He walks over to him. The officer looks at him.)

Officer: Can I help you?

(Stefan compels him.)

Stefan: Time for a little break. He'll be safe with me.

(The officer nods and walks away. Stefan walks into the hospital room. A man is handcuffed to the hospital bed and looks at Stefan.)

Man: Who are you?

Stefan: Why is there a cop outside?

Man: I'm a convicted murderer.

(Stefan compels him.)

Stefan: You guilty?

Man: Of course I am.

Stefan: Any regrets?

Man: Only that I got caught.

(Stefan bites his wrist and places in the man's mouth and forces him to drink his blood. He snaps his neck, killing the man.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Caroline is standing outside the house with her clipboard in hand. Three girls walk towards her with flower arrangements.)

Caroline: Woah, woah, woah, stop, stop!

(The girls come to a halt.)

Caroline: Those flowers go in the back as indicated by the floral chart that you guys had plenty of time to memorize.

(The girls turn around and walk off.)

Caroline: Yeah, thank you.

(Caroline looks down at her clipboard again. Klaus walks up to her.)

Klaus: Now, how did I know I'd find you at the helm of the ship?

(She looks at him and then back down at her clipboard.)

Caroline: Go away. I'm busy.

Klaus: I was wondering what time I should pick you up tomorrow.

(Caroline looks up from her clipboard again and over at him.)

Caroline: How about a quarter to never.

(She looks away again. Klaus moves closer towards her.)

Klaus: I was promised a date in return for one of my hybrids.

Caroline: Yes, a date. Like to a movie where we don't have to talk and I can put at least three seats between us.

Klaus: Well, surely the reigning Miss Mystic Falls won't be hosting the party alone.

(Caroline finally turns around and looks at him with her full attention.)

Klaus: And I assume you're not taking Tyler. Not after his indiscretions with his lady werewolf friend.

(Klaus looks up at her with puppy dog eyes.)

Caroline: Fine. If you insist on coming, meet me here. 2 PM. (She starts to walk away.) Black tie optional. (She quickly turns around and points at him.) And I already have a dress, so don't even think of getting me so much as a corsage, you understand?

(Klaus looks down submissively and nods. Caroline walks up the stairs.)

Klaus: I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline.

**ABANDONED BARN**

(A hybrid named Kimberley is chained up in the barn. Hayley stands nearby and watches her. Kimberley runs into the barn wall and breaks a few boards.)

Hayley: Scream. Let it out. We're at an abandoned farm. No one can hear you for miles.

Kimberley: Easy for you to say, wolf girl. You never turned twenty times in a row.

Hayley: No, but I watched a bunch of your hybrid friends go through it.

(Kimberley falls to the ground, yelling in pain.)

Kimberley: Why's it have to be like this? Why break every bone over and over?

Hayley: That's what the sire bond is. You're grateful to Klaus because he released you from the pain of having to turn every full moon. So, you're gonna keep turning until it doesn't hurt and you'll have nothing to be grateful for.

Kimberley: What's in all of this for you?

(Hayley doesn't respond to the question.)

Hayley: I don't hear bones cracking.

(Tyler walks into the barn. Hayley turns around and looks at him.)

Tyler: Caroline bought us another day. Klaus wants to go with her to Miss Mystic Falls tomorrow.

Hayley: So, does that mean we're going?

Tyler: Watching Klaus fawn over Caroline at some lame ass pageant. No thanks.

Hayley: Oh, come on!

(Kimberley's bones start to break. The two glance over at her, but continue their conversation.)

Hayley: We need to hide what's going on here by pretending that I was the one that broke you two up. And besides, isn't it at your house?

(Tyler rolls his eyes. Kimberley is still screaming in pain and looks at the two of them.)

Kimberley: Guys, like this isn't torture enough?! Can you take it outside?!

(Hayley looks at Tyler and bats her eyes.)

Tyler. Fine, we'll go.

(Hayley smiles.)

Tyler: Wear a dress.

(Tyler walks out of the barn. Hayley turns around with a grin on her face.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Elena is in her room, looking in the mirror. She is trying to put a necklace on, but is having trouble clasping it together. Jeremy walks in the room.)

Jeremy: Need a hand?

Elena: Yeah, please, this clasp is tricky.

(Jeremy walks over to her and helps her with her necklace.)

Elena: Hey, I, uh, picked up your clothes from the dry cleaners. They should be hanging on your door.

Jeremy: I really wish you'd stop acting like you were still my sister.

(Elena looks at him, confused. Jeremy suddenly pulls the necklace tight around Elena's neck and chokes her. Elena gasps for air and feebly attempts to push Jeremy off her. Blood starts to seep from the wound forming on her neck. Suddenly, Jeremy wakes up in his own room in a cold sweat. The whole thing was just a dream. He gasps for air and holds up his right hand. In it is a knife. He looks down at his other hand and raises it. A wooden stake with hunter's mark on it is grasped in his hand. He looks up, scared and confused.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Matt is sitting in Jeremy's room with a folder in his hand. Jeremy is getting ready for the Miss Mystic Falls pageant in the bathroom.)

Matt: How do you wake up with a knife in your hand and not remember how it got there? It's that hunter's mark, Jer. It's messing with you.

(Jeremy begins to pace.)

Jeremy: What if I'm turning into Alaric? I've probably died too many times with this ring on my finger and I'm developing an alter ego like he did.

(Matt has opened up the folder and reads aloud from a page within it.)

Matt: "Newly awakened hunters may not be fully conscious of their actions. Their sub-conscious pushes through until the urge becomes a basic instinct."

(Matt places the folder on the bed and gets up. He walks towards Jeremy.)

Matt: You're not having a psychotic break, Jer. You either tell Elena or I will.

Jeremy: Fine, I'll tell her when I see her.

(Jeremy's phone beeps. He's received a message from Stefan which reads "Meet in Lockwood Cellar. Don't tell anyone.")

Matt: Alright, we should probably get going. Need a ride?

Jeremy: Uh, no. Go ahead, I'll meet you there.

Matt: Alright.

(Matt pats him on the arm and walks out of the room. Jeremy looks back down at the message Stefan sent him.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(April is preparing for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. She holds up two dresses, one red and one blue, for Caroline Willow and Elena to pick from.)

Caroline and Elena: Blue.

April: Really? The blue seems a little safe.

Elena: Safe is good when it comes to the judges.

Caroline: She's right. Gracie Lockwood had a three foot slit her year and practically got laughed off the court.

Willow: Red one looks like a Winner Plus it would go Lovely with your dark hair

April: Really Thanks

Caroline: Yeah but the Blue is a Lot safer

(Elena smiles and laughs. Damon walks into the room.)

Damon: She got my vote.

(Elena looks at him and appears to stop breathing. Caroline throws a black object at him. It hits him in the chest.)

Caroline: Get out, lurker!

Damon: (sarcastically) Ouch.

(Caroline walks over to him.)

Damon: Where's Professor Shane?

Caroline: Check the judges' table.

(Caroline starts to close the door on him, but Damon puts his hand up and pushes it back open. Caroline starts to walk back towards Elena.)

Damon: (to April) Red one, definitely.

(Caroline has stopped in the middle of the room, midway between Elena and Damon. She has her arms crossed.)

Caroline: We've already agreed that the red one is a little bit too showy.

(She glances at Elena.)

Damon: It's a pageant. That's the whole point.

(Caroline looks at Damon and places her hands on her hips.)

Caroline: Did you win Miss Mystic last year? No. I don't think you did.

Damon: Neither did Elena and she wore blue.

Caroline: Nobody cares what you think.

April: I care.

Damon: See? April cares. Red, right, Elena?

(Caroline glares at Elena. Elena looks at April.)

Elena: The red is pretty.

(Caroline's face falls. Damon smirks.)

Damon: And my work here is done.

(Damon walks out of the room. Caroline looks back at Elena.)

Caroline: Uh, what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?

(Elena looks at her with a glazed look over her eyes. She shakes her head and turns back to April.)

Elena: Whichever one you want to wear, April.

(Elena walks out of the room. Caroline watches her leave and turns around, confused.)

Caroline: What just happened?

(Damon is walking down the stairs. Elena is following right behind him.)

Elena: Damon.

(Damon stops at the bottom of the staircase and turns to look at her.)

Damon: Still here.

(There is a moment of silence and Elena sighs and finally speaks up.)

Elena: We need to talk.

Damon: Stefan told me about the break up.

(Elena starts to walk down the remaining stairs towards Damon.)

Damon: I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not.

(Damon and Elena start to walk across the room together.)

Elena: What did he say?

(They stop in the middle of the room and face each other.)

Damon: Oh, you know Stefan, he kind of just went on and on about it and wouldn't shut up.

Elena: So, he didn't tell you why?

Damon: Nope. But I'm sure it has something to do with you acting weird, so why don't you tell me?

Elena: You.

(Damon stares at her, speechless at this reveal. They stare at each other for a long moment. Professor Shane walks by, but stops when he sees Damon.)

Shane: Damon Salvatore. Looks like we travel in the same circuit.

(Damon and Elena look over at him. Damon is not pleased that Shane interrupted his moment with Elena.)

Damon: Professor Shane. Just the guy I wanted to see.

(Damon walks towards Professor Shane, but looks back at Elena. The two men walk out of the room together, but Damon gives Elena one last look. Elena stands in the middle of the room, alone now.)

(Damon and Shane are walking outside past the tables set up for the pageant.)

Damon: So, I'm in search of another Hunter.

Shane: Hunter?

Damon: Mhm.

Shane: With a capital H? Why?

Damon: Same reason anyone needs a Hunter. Loneliness, drinking buddy, or for golf.

Shane: I thought you said you already had a Potential.

Damon: I did, but he ended up being a potential problem.

Shane: There's nothing I can do to help you.

Damon: Hmm, why don't you help me with this…

(Damon stops and faces Shane.)

Damon: Why are you here? What's in your little lesson plan there, Professor?

Shane: You think too highly of me, Damon. I'm gonna go find the other judges.

(Shane starts to walk off, but Damon stops him.)

Damon: Hey, no pity votes for April Young, okay? I mean, just because her dad blew up a house with a dozen people in it doesn't mean she should get a tiara. But you knew him, didn't you? Because I hear you two racked up a pretty impressive phone bill.

Shane: If you want to know something about me, Damon, just ask.

Damon: Okay. How did you convince the Pastor to kill all those people?

Shane: Did you just accuse me of mass murder in the middle of a high school pageant?

(Damon smirks at him. Carol Lockwood is on stage, introducing the pageant.)

Carol: Welcome to this season's Miss Mystic Falls.

(Everyone claps. Damon and Shane are still staring each other down, but Shane finally walks away, gulping down his champagne. Damon watches him walk off.)

Carol: We are so excited to showcase our most outstanding community leaders in the making.

(Everyone claps again. Damon is still standing where Shane left him and focuses his attention back on the pageant.)

Willow standing behind Damon and still can't get what Shane told her out of her Mind and the dream she keeps Having its Like someone is Haunting her she has been wanting to tell someone about it but doesn't want anyone to worry( Damon walks over to her seeing her Tired look and worry in her eyes)

Damon: Hey Little Mage what the Matter you know you haven't been yourself lately you want to talk about it.

Willow: Damon I am being Haunted by something in my Nightmares and then Shane keeps whispering things in my ears about my destiny will soon be furfilled whatever that means( Grabbing Damon by a Hand) Damon I just can't sleep there is this Dark person all the time just staring at me I'm on this Island and I'm stuck in this cave with this Man I have feeling he wants something from me.

Damon:( Concerned and a Little Angry) Willow why haven't you said anything or went to Bonnie maybe she can help you figure it out.

Willow: I wanted to but everyone has been worried about Elena and her Losing her Mind I didn't want to be another Burden on your shoulder's

Damon: No matter what's going on with Elena Of course I love her but you are my best Friend if anything or anyone is after you I would do anything to Protect you from them shane shouldn't even be bothering what did he say any way.

Willow: He mention my Ancesters Elizebeth Brucannon My Great Grandmother and Alexander Prince of Wales and Willam of Italy he knows all about me even now's about me being a Mage he thinks I will be a Part of something to do with the Cure.

Damon: Understand Me Willow Nobody will harm you I will be here for you if you need me.

Willow: Thanks Damon you are a Good Friend you made me feel better just talking to you about this without anyone getting in the way for once

Damon: Hey I'm Here when ever you need to talk Come on Lets watch the Pagaent

**LOCKWOOD CELLAR**

(Jeremy walks down the steps and into the cellar. He stops in the doorway and looks at Stefan, who has walked over towards him.)

Jeremy: What am I doing here?

Stefan: You have the chance to make your sister human again. You interested?

Jeremy: You have no idea.

Stefan: Actually, I do.

(Stefan leads the way into the cell and Jeremy follows. Jeremy sees the murderer from the hospital chained up.)

Jeremy: Who is that?

Stefan: Oh, it doesn't really matter. All that matters is that you're a vampire hunter and he's a vampire.

(Stefan pulls out a knife.)

Stefan: Well, almost.

(He opens the blade, grabs Jeremy's wrist, and cuts it. Jeremy yells. Stefan drags him by the wrist over to the murderer and makes him drink Jeremy's blood. After a few seconds, Stefan releases him and Jeremy backs away. The murderer's eyes have changed into that of a hungry vampire. Stefan pulls out a wooden stake and holds it out for Jeremy to take.)

Jeremy: What is this? All so I can stake him?

Stefan: You think I want to do this, Jeremy? Look at me, I hate this, I don't want to do this. But your sister isn't supposed to be a vampire and we need to help her. Now, he's a murderer and he will gladly kill again, so do it, Jeremy. Kill him.

(Stefan forces the stake into Jeremy's hand and walks over to the murderer. He breaks the chains from the ground and picks them up, holding the murderer by the chains like a horse. He slowly walks the murderer over towards Jeremy.)

Jeremy: Stefan, what are you doing?! What the hell is wrong with you!?

Stefan: Do it, Jeremy or I will rip the chains off for real! Do it!

(Jeremy thrusts the stake into the murderer's heart. Stefan drops the chains on the floor. The murderer keels over and Jeremy stabs the stake through the murderer's back over and over again.)

Stefan: Alright, enough. He's dead.

(Jeremy is breathing hard. He rips the stake out of the murderer's back and stares at Stefan.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Caroline is outside, picking up empty champagnes glasses from tables. She smiles at the attendees of the pageant and walks angrily over to a bus boy.)

Caroline: Hey, why am I bussing your tables?

(She slams the champagne glasses onto his tray.)

Caroline: I said no empty glasses.

(The bus boy walks off. Caroline strides over to the orchestra.)

Caroline: Will you guys pick up the tempo?!

(She snaps her fingers at them.)

Caroline: This is a pageant, not a funeral.

(She turns around and walks away. Klaus walks up to her.)

Klaus: And how am I doing?

(Caroline stops and looks at him.)

Caroline: You're. Perfect.

(Klaus smiles.)

Caroline: Just so beyond annoying, I can't even look at you.

(Klaus doesn't say anything. Caroline eventually looks at him again anyways. Klaus looks over Caroline's shoulder at Hayley and Tyler who are walking up the lawn towards the house together and holding hands.)

Klaus: They didn't waste any time, did they?

(Caroline turns around and looks at them. She seems upset. Klaus looks over at her. Caroline continues to watch Hayley and Tyler.)

Caroline: Let's just get today over with.

(She strides past Klaus.)

(Further down the lawn, Hayley and Tyler walk over towards the table which holds the tiara.)

Hayley: I can't believe that I won.

(Hayley takes the tiara from its cushion and places it on her head.)

Hayley: I just want to thank the judges for seeing past the fact that I'm a raging bitch.

Tyler: You don't want to do that. Those girls will cut you. They have nails.

Hayley: I have claws.

(Hayley takes the tiara off and drops it back on the table with a smile. Caroline is onstage and is about to introduce the contestants. Tyler and Hayley look up at her.)

Caroline: Hi, everyone, I'm Caroline Forbes.

(Elena walks up the lawn to watch the introduction of the girls. Damon stands a few feet away from her and he looks over at her.)

Caroline: As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honor to introduce this year's Miss Mystic Court.

(Everyone claps for the girls, including Elena Willow and Damon. They exchange looks and Elena, once again, looks like she has stopped breathing. Music starts playing for the introduction of the girls.)

Caroline: We begin the procession with Valerie Fell accompanied by Dylan Clark.

(There is a round of applause for Valerie as she walks down the stone steps.)

Caroline: Next, we have Amber Wolvertine accompanied by Hector Lindsay.

(Another round of applause is given for Amber. Elena is clapping when Matt approaches her.)

Matt: Have you seen Jeremy?

Elena: He's probably up there with the escorts.

(Another girl has been introduced and more applause are heard. She takes the arm of her escort and they walk off together. Elena and Matt look over at the escorts and try to spot Jeremy.)

Matt: Yeah, Caroline told me to wrangle the escorts, he's not here.

(Elena appears to be slightly worried.)

Matt: Did he tell you about his nightmares?

Elena: What nightmares?

(She looks over at Matt.)

Matt: The ones where he kills you.

(She raises her eyebrows in surprise.)

Caroline: Katherine Wilson accompanied by Eric Hanson.

(A round of applause is heard for Katherine.)

Elena: I'll find him, but…

(April starts to descend the stairs. Elena and Matt look up at her. Elena sighs.)

Elena: April's about to get abandoned.

Matt: I got this.

Elena: Okay.

(Matt walks away.)

Caroline: And finally, we have a last minute entry, April Young accompanied by Jeremy Gilbert.

(April continues to walk down the steps but stops and looks around for Jeremy. Caroline also looks around for Jeremy but keeps a large smile on her face. Matt walks up to where the escorts were lined up and holds out his arm for April. Everyone applauds and April breathes a sigh of relief. She walks down the remainder of the stairs with a smile and takes Matt's arm.)

Matt: Jeremy's running late.

April: I guess you'll do.

(She giggles. Caroline continues to look around, worried, but stops and smiles. April and Matt walk to the dance floor and face each other.)

Matt: You lead.

(April smiles and nods. The girls and their escorts bow to each other and begin the dance. Damon watches them for a moment then looks over at Elena, remember when they had danced together at the last Miss Mystic Falls. Elena is still looking around for Jeremy but eventually catches Damon looking at her and she smiles. Damon looks back and watches the dance. Elena stares at him for a moment longer and then walks out of the crowd. Caroline quickly walks down the steps and over to Elena, who is on her phone.)

Caroline: Hey, what's with the last minute escort change? Where is Jeremy?

Elena: I'm calling him right now.

(Damon walks up to them.)

Elena: He's not picking up.

Damon: Do the math. Emo teen, open bar, it's fine.

Elena: Matt said that Jeremy's been having nightmares about killing vampires and he's been hiding it from me.

(Caroline looks surprised and worried. Damon shrugs it off.)

Willow: Relax, I'm sure he's fine.

Elena: I don't know. I have a bad feeling.

Damon: If I'm not worried, you shouldn't be worried. Let it go. I'll go look for him.

Elena: Okay.

(Damon walks away.)

Caroline: Okay, you go home, I'm gonna start asking around here.

Elena: Maybe Damon's right. Maybe he grabbed a bottle from the bar and snuck off to the woods.

Caroline: No, Damon is never right. Damon is sneaky and manipulative and rude, but he's never right. How can you not see that?

Elena: I don't know, but why do I think that you won't hesitate to tell me?

Caroline: Fine, friend-tervention. I think your so called "feelings" for Damon are really starting to cloud your judgment and I don't like it.

(Klaus walks over to them and stands next to Caroline.)

Caroline: And the thought of you two together really makes me want to barf.

Willow: Come Now Caroline she know your hatred for Damon just calm down

Klaus: The Little Mage is right Easy, love, you're making a scene.

Elena: Wow, Caroline, thank you for making this very difficult time so much easier.

(Elena walks away. Caroline stands there with a blank look on her face.)

Caroline: How did I become the bad guy?

(Klaus moves from standing next to her to standing in front of her.)

Klaus: Let's get you a drink. I'll tell you all about being the bad guy.

(Inside the house, Damon is on the phone with Stefan who is still in the Lockwood Cellar.)

Damon: Please don't tell me that you've roped Jeremy into a world of crazy.

Stefan: I had no choice. Elena needs the cure.

Damon: Oh right, so you can turn her back into the girl that is still in love with you.

Stefan: You know, I get why you wouldn't want to believe it Damon, but she isn't herself anymore.

Damon: Of course you would think that. Leave it alone, Stefan.

(Stefan hangs up on him. He looks at Jeremy who is examining his arm. The mark starts to spread. Stefan walks down towards him.)

Stefan: How far did the mark grow?

(Jeremy doesn't answer. Stefan pulls out the drawing of Connor's mark.)

Stefan: Show me on this drawing.

(Jeremy turns around and looks at him.)

Jeremy: Sorry, Stefan, but I can't trust you.

Stefan: How far is it, Jeremy?

Jeremy: I said I can't.

Stefan: Answer me or I will make you answer me.

Jeremy: I am not telling you anything.

(Stefan grabs Jeremy and compels him.)

Stefan: What does the mark look like?

(Jeremy suddenly stakes Stefan in the stomach. Stefan yells in pain.)

Jeremy: I guess I can't be compelled anymore.

(Jeremy releases the stake from his grasp and grabs the duffel bag. He walks out of the cellar. Stefan falls down on the ground and clutches at the stake still in his stomach.)

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Caroline and Klaus are walking next to the pond on the Lockwood property. Klaus is carrying two glasses and a bottle of champagne.)

Caroline: It's just, as her best friend, it is my duty to warn her when she's making a giant mistake, right? And now she's taking Damon's side on everything.

Klaus: So, being a vampire's changed her?

Caroline: But being a vampire only amplifies who you already are. It doesn't turn you into a completely different person.

Klaus: It's very peculiar.

(Klaus smirks and looks as if he knows something she doesn't. Caroline looks at him.)

Caroline: What's that look for?

Klaus: It'll all make sense eventually.

Caroline: Whatever, just – just hurry up and find the cure.

(Caroline sits down on a stone bench by the pond. Klaus places the champagne down next to her and looks at her.)

Klaus: I'm working on it.

(Klaus sits next to her and starts to open the champagne bottle.)

Caroline: Would you ever take it?

Klaus: Now, why would I want to cure myself of being the most powerful creature on the planet? Hm?

Caroline: So there's not one single moment in your whole life that you wanted to be human?

(Klaus looks at her and pops the cork off the champagne bottle. He avoids the question.)

Klaus: How about you?

(Across the lawn, Tyler is walking past and sees Caroline and Klaus sitting together and drinking champagne. He listens into their conversation and hears them laughing together.)

Klaus: Life used to be a lot easier.

(Klaus stands up and pulls a piece of paper out from inside his jacket.)

Klaus: Don't you miss the days of being...

(He opens up the paper and starts to read from it.)

Klaus: 'Chair of the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee' and the 'Director of the Policeman's Yearly Raffle.'

(Caroline looks up at him with wide, horrified eyes.)

Caroline: Is that my Miss Mystic application?

(She stands up and smacks the paper out of his hands.)

Caroline: Where did you get that?!

(Klaus laughs and catches the paper. He continues reading.)

Klaus: 'When I am chosen I intend to redefine excellence.'

(Caroline runs her hands through her hair in frustration.)

Klaus: Now, I'm really enjoying your use of when here. It's very confident.

(Caroline looks at him and laughs sarcastically.)

Klaus: 'And above all, I promise to aspire, inspire, and perspire.."

(Caroline has her hand on her hips and continues to nod and smile, clearly not enjoying this torment. Klaus cannot stop laughing.)

Klaus: Obviously, we found a shortage of words ending in spire.

(Caroline tries to grab the paper out of his hands again.)

Caroline: Yeah, it's very funny.

(She continues to try to take the paper from Klaus, but he keeps pulling it out of reach.)

Caroline: It's hilarious. Just-

(Klaus holds the paper out behind him and away from Caroline. He looks at her with an expression that clearly says try and take it from me. Caroline stops trying and cracks a smile. She begins to laugh. Klaus laughs with her and the two sit back down on the bench and continue to drink their champagne. Tyler stops listening and walks away.)

(Damon is sitting at one of the tables spread across the yard. He looks over and sees Professor Shane sit down at a table with Hayley and pours her a glass of champagne. Tyler walks through the maze of tables. Damon sees him and stands up.)

Damon: Oh, hey.

(Tyler stops and looks at him.)

Damon: How do those two know each other?

Tyler: They don't. Paranoid much?

Damon: The Council just got burnt to a crisp. Some mysterious Hunter just blew through town and this guy just happens to know everything about everything. Yes, paranoid.

(Tyler and Damon continue to watch Hayley and Professor Shane.)

(Inside the house, Jeremy finds an empty room and places the duffel bag down. He takes out an arm cuff that can hold stakes and places it on his wrist. He grabs a few stakes and places them in his pants. He puts on his jacket and exits the room. Jeremy walks outside and through the maze of tables, clearly on a mission. April intercepts him as he is making his way through.)

April: Hey, where have you been?

Jeremy: Hey, sorry, I, um, I got stuck at work.

April: Jeremy, if you were to chicken to do the dance thingie then you should have just told me.

Jeremy: No, no, I knew the dance. I watched some lesson online like a hundred times.

April: You did?

(Jeremy sees Professor Shane get up from a table.)

Jeremy: Hey, what's that Shane guy doing here?

(April turns and looks at him. He waves at her and she waves back.)

April: He's a judge. I talked to him about my dad. I mean, he said that he had never seemed depressed or suicidal or anything, so…

(Jeremy spots Elena across the lawn talking to a girl. He continues to stare at her.)

Jeremy: Your dad?

April: Yeah, um, you know, I figured I'd explore every possibility, even the bleak ones.

(Jeremy still hasn't taken his eyes off Elena.)

April: What are you looking at?

(She turns around to see what he's been staring at. Jeremy looks at her and she looks back at him.)

Jeremy: Your dad was doing the right thing for this town. The whole Council was. They died heroes.

(Jeremy walks past her. April watches him walk away with a shocked look on her face.)

(Inside the house, Professor Shane is alone in a room. Damon walks in.)

Shane: Oh, you again. (He laughs.) I must be the least intimidating mass murderer ever.

Damon: Well, you still never gave me a name. And it's kind of urgent.

Shane: Listen, there is no other name. Look, at any given moment there are five Hunters in existence, alright. Most of them have no idea who they are or what their purpose is. It means finding more than one in a lifetime is next to impossible.

(Shane walks past Damon and starts to leave the room. Damon uses his superspeed and rushes in front of Shane. Shane looks at him and laughs.)

Shane: Subtle.

Damon: Like you didn't already know.

Shane: Well.

Damon: You have five seconds to give me another name or you die.

Shane: You know, since it's generally unwise for a vampire to seek out a Hunter, it means you're interested in the mark. It's probably because of where it leads, but here's the thing, even if you complete the mark and you get the map, the thing that you're looking for is sealed with a spell only a certain kind of witch can perform.

Damon: What kind of witch?

Shane: Come on, Damon.

(Damon grabs Shane by the wrist and squeezes it.)

Damon: I love pressure points. What kind of witch?

Shane: Come on, you're a big boy, you can figure this one out.

(Damon thinks for a moment.)

Damon: A Bennett witch.

Shane: Aren't too many of those lying around as I'm sure you know. So, none of this matters until Bonnie's back in touch with her magic and between the two of us, who do you think she trusts to help her get there?

(Damon releases Shane from his grasp.)

Shane: Five seconds are up, unless you just realized you need me alive. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a scholarship to award.

Damon: Why have you been bothering Willow what does she Play in all this.

Shane: The Mage Plays an even bigger Part Her Blood is important so everything else you will have to figure out yourself.

(Shane walks past Damon.)

(Back outside, Carol Lockwood and Caroline are standing on the stage. Carol is speaking through the microphone and Caroline is holding an envelope.)

Carol: And now, the moment you've been waiting for. Caroline, would you do the honors?

(Caroline walks to the mic. Elena stands behind her with the tiara and sash.)

Caroline: This year's Miss Mystic Falls is….

(Caroline opens the envelope)

Caroline: April Young.

(Everyone in the crowd applauds. April smiles and looks as if she's about to cry. Caroline takes the tiara off the cushion Elena is holding and walks over to April. Elena looks out into the crowd and sees Jeremy walking in between the people.)

Elena: Jeremy.

(Caroline places the tiara on April's head. Jeremy walks off, away from the crowd. Elena hands Carol Lockwood the sash and cushion and quickly walks off the stage. Matt also notices Jeremy walking away and Elena going after him.)

(Inside the house, Jeremy is sitting in an empty room. He places one of the stakes and pushes it in to the palm of his hand until it begins to bleed. Elena walks in the room. Jeremy takes the stake away and looks up at her.)

Elena: Hey, where have you been?

(She sees the stake in his hand.)

Elena: What are you doing with that?

(Jeremy stands up.)

Elena: Put it down.

Jeremy: Connor was right. All I can think about is killing vampires.

Elena: You're nothing like Connor.

Jeremy: I want to believe that. And I know I don't want to hurt you, but everything inside of me is telling me to drive this stake through your heart.

Elena: Why would you say that? It's me, Jeremy.

Jeremy: And you're a vampire.

Elena: Yeah, but I'm also your sister.

(She gently grabs his wrist.)

Elena: Jer, I would never do anything to hurt you.

(Elena suddenly smells the blood on his hand. She turns it over and sees it. Veins start crawling towards her eyes. Jeremy looks at her.)

Jeremy: No.

(She looks up at him and the veins start to go away. She backs up.)

Elena: Get – get it away from me.

(She turns around. Jeremy strides towards her with a stake in his hand. She turns around quickly, grabs his wrist, and throws him to the ground. Realizing what she has just done, she walks over to him and kneels down next to him. She starts to shake him.)

Elena: Jer, Jer, hey, Jer, wake up. Jer, please wake up.

(Elena continues to panic and shake Jeremy. Suddenly, he opens his eyes and stakes Elena in the neck with the hidden arm cuff stake. Elena gasps and clutches her neck. Jeremy kneels down in front of her and raises the stake to finish her off. Matt walks into the room.)

Matt: Jeremy!

Jeremy: Get out of here, Matt.

Matt: Jeremy, you don't want to do this, okay. That's your sister. It's that stupid mark on your arm.

Jeremy: Shut up, Matt!

Matt: Jeremy, look at me! I'm human and I'm telling you not to hurt her.

(Jeremy hesitates for a moment, but looks as if he's still going to stake Elena. Suddenly, Stefan rushes into the room, grabs Jeremy, and holds him against the wall.)

Stefan: Get him out of here, Matt!

(Stefan pushes Jeremy towards Matt. Matt grabs him and leaves.)

Matt: Come on. Let's get out of here.

(Stefan kneels down in front of Elena. Elena is trying to take the stake out of her neck.)

Stefan: Let me do it, let me do it, let me do it.

(Elena continues to gasp for air. Stefan gently takes her hands off the stake and pulls it out. Elena breathes a sigh of relief and continues to gasp for air. She finally catches her breath. Stefan places his hand on her cheek and looks at her. She looks up at him and clutches his hand in hers. They continue to look at each other.)

(Hayley and Tyler are sitting outside on the stone steps, drinking.)

Hayley: Your mom parties harder than you do. Does she have the gene?

Tyler: Dad. What about your parents?

Hayley: Never met them. My adopted parents found out about my wolf gene when I did. The night that I turned and tore apart their living room, they promptly kicked me out.

Tyler: You never told me how it triggered.

Hayley: You mean who I killed?

(Tyler nods.)

Hayley: Boating accident. We were drunk, I thought I wasn't.

(She sips her champagne and looks away.)

Tyler: So, what's with you chatting up all these old timers, huh? My mom. That professor guy.

Hayley: That professor guy is like, thirty, and he's hot and smart.

(Hayley laughs. Tyler sees Caroline and Klaus walking across the lawn together. Klaus has offered his arm to Caroline and she seems to have gladly accepted it.)

Tyler: You know him or something?

Hayley: No, I just met him. Why?

Tyler: No reason.

(There's a pause in the conversation and Tyler listens in to Caroline and Klaus' conversation instead. Caroline and Klaus have stopped walking and are facing each other.)

Klaus: I never answered your question; if I ever thought about being human. Once, I was on a trek in the Andies, and a hummingbird flew up to me. It just hovered there, staring at me, its tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun. And I thought, what a thing, you know, to have to work that hard every day just to stay alive. To be constantly on the verge of death and how satisfying every day must be that it survived. And that was the only time I thought about being human.

(Caroline smiles.)

Hayley: What's he saying?

Tyler: A bunch of BS about being human. The sooner we get rid of this guy, the better.

(Elena is walking across the yard. Stefan runs after her.)

Stefan: Elena, wait.

Elena: I have to find Jeremy. This shouldn't be happening to him.

Stefan: Elena, wait. It's my fault.

(Stefan catches her by the arm and faces her. She stops and looks at him.)

Elena: What are you talking about?

Stefan: I'm starting to think that when a Hunter kills a vampire, the urge to keep killing gets stronger.

Elena: Tell me that Jeremy hasn't been with you this entire time.

(Stefan says nothing and looks away.)

Elena: Tell me that you haven't been making him kill vampires, Stefan.

Stefan: We need the map to get the cure.

Elena: If getting my humanity back means stripping Jeremy of his, then I don't want the cure.

Stefan: He's the only way to fix all of this.

Elena: You mean me. The only way to fix me. You don't have to love me like this. This is who I am now. The old Elena died when she went off that bridge. Let her go.

(Stefan is clearly upset by Elena's words. Damon approaches them but stops a few feet away from them. Elena and Stefan look over at him. Elena looks back at Stefan and Stefan walks away, hurt by Elena's rejection. Elena watches him go.)

**GILBERT HOUSE**

(Jeremy is in his room, packing a bag. Matt enters.)

Matt: What are you doing?

Jeremy: I can't keep living here if I want to kill my sister.

Matt: Elena knows that. That's why she moved out and asked me to move in.

(Jeremy looks up at him in surprise.)

Jeremy: What?

Matt: Look, I'm not one of them, Jer. I'll keep an eye on you and we can keep this Hunter business in check.

Jeremy: Where's Elena gonna go?

(Matt doesn't respond, because the answer is pretty obvious.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon opens the front door. Elena is outside, carrying her luggage. She walks in the house. Stefan walks out of the parlor and they look at each other.)

Elena: I can't stay at home anymore.

(Stefan nods.)

Stefan: Pick a room. I'll crash somewhere else.

(Stefan walks out of the house. Elena and Damon watch him leave.)

**ABANDONED BARN**

(Kimberley is lying on the floor of the barn, tired from transforming into a wolf so many times.)

Kimberley: Tell me it's over, Ty. I really don't think I can do this anymore.

(Tyler kneels down in front of her.)

Tyler: It's over. Nice work. We're one step closer to ending this.

(Tyler gets up and pulls out his phone to send a text to Hayley.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Hayley receives the text from Tyler which reads "Kim broke the sire bond. Where are you?" She looks at Shane and smiles.)

Hayley: We got another one.

Shane: Good. Then we're almost ready.

(He sits down at his desk and Hayley turns and looks at him.)

Hayley: I want to leave Tyler out of this when it all goes down.

Shane: We'll talk when you've broken the last one.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena is sitting on the couch in the parlor. Damon walks over to her and hands her a drink.)

Elena: Thanks.

(Elena takes a drink. Damon sits down next to her.)

Damon: I was being polite. I thought you hated whiskey.

Elena: My brother wants to kill me.

Damon: Welcome to the club.

(Damon holds his glass out to her and she clinks her glass against his. They both drink.)

Elena: Jeremy can't live with me, Stefan wants to fix me, and Caroline flat out admitted that she doesn't like me this way. I think it's safe to say that I'm not so great at this vampire thing.

Damon: You want to know what I think.

(Elena looks at him.)

Damon: I don't think I've ever seen you more alive.

(They stare at each other for a moment. Elena smiles and laughs.)

Elena: That dance that they did today kind of reminded me of when…

Damon: When we danced together.

(Damon smiles. Elena nods.)

Elena: I wanted to dance with you today.

(She looks up at Damon. Damon places his glass on the coffee table and takes Elena's glass and puts it down as well. He stands up and offers his hand to her. She smiles, takes it, and stands up. Damon leads her over to the front of the fireplace. Damon takes her other hand and lowers one of his to her waist, while Elena places her other hand on his shoulder. They start to dance and they place their heads together.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

(Stefan pours a shot for himself and Caroline. They are sitting in the living room, talking to one another.)

Stefan: Elena's right. I just - I need to let go.

Caroline: No, you're right, Stefan. It's not pretty and it's not easy, but you can't give up on her.

Stefan: Caroline, she looked me in the eye and she told me to move on.

Caroline: She's lost. Okay, you and her, epic. Her and Damon, ugh, God. There's something wrong with her. Just promise me you won't stop looking for the cure.

Stefan: Klaus won't let me even if I wanted to.

(Stefan places his shot glass down and pours himself another one.)

Caroline: Why does he care? He doesn't even want it.

Stefan: He wants to keep Elena human so that he can make more hybrids.

(Caroline sits back into her chair and relaxes.)

Caroline: He's gonna need them. Tyler's almost got all of them unsired.

(Suddenly, Caroline looks as if she just realized something.)

Caroline: Oh my God.

(Stefan looks up at her, confused.)

Caroline: Oh. My. God.

(Stefan non-verbally asks her what she's going on about.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon twirls Elena around. He pulls her back in and kisses her passionately.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

(Caroline stands up, still shocked by the discovery she has figured out.)

Caroline: I was trying to understand why Klaus was so intrigued by Damon and Elena. He said I would figure it out. This is what he was talking about.

Stefan: What are you talking about?

Caroline: Think about it. Every time Elena's had a problem, Damon's been the magic solution.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon and Elena are intertwined together in a heated make out session.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: Today, Elena was worried about Jeremy. Who swoops in and tells her to relax? Damon. And she listens.

(Stefan still looks confused.)

Caroline: When Elena started feeding, who said that she could only drink blood straight from the vein?

(Stefan seems to be realizing what Caroline is getting at.)

Stefan: Damon.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena superspeeds Damon into a wall so hard that she knocks a lamp over and breaks it.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: And when she tried to drink from animals?

Stefan: She couldn't keep it down.

Caroline: And blood bags?

Stefan: Same thing.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena has Damon pushed against the wall. They continue to kiss and Elena rips Damon's shirt open.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: Name one vampire in the history of vampires who couldn't drink blood from a blood bag. Damon said she couldn't, so she couldn't.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon super speeds Elena into the wall next to the fireplace and continues to kiss her. He is holding her leg up to his waist and Elena grabs hold to the wall.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: Damon likes the red dress. Elena likes the red dress.

Stefan: Damon says kill Connor and she kills Connor.

Caroline: What if it's possible? Damon's blood made her a vampire, right?

(Stefan looks up at her.)

Caroline: It's rare, but it happens. What if this is one of those times?

(Caroline sits back down.)

Caroline: What if this is really happening?

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon and Elena are still making out.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

(Stefan leans forward.)

Stefan: Elena's sired to Damon.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena and Damon are now in Damon's bed with only their undergarments on. Elena is straddling Damon and pushes him down on the bed. She kisses him. Damon then rolls on top of her and kisses down her neck and chest. They kiss each other all over as they make love. The two of them not knowing about the sire bond.)

WILLOW'S HOUSE

Willow asleep in her bed is tossing and Turning in her sleep( Nightmare Scene) Willow is standing in the Middle of a Cave and she is walking to a Person laying down on a Alter covered in veins realizing that the cure is in the Person's Hands as soon as she gets close The man springs up and grabs her to him where she is laying on top of him and she looking down on him as his eyes glows Red forcing her down on him where he bites her neck and then rolls her under him when his Palm rests on her stomach he whispers You are the One I want you will be Mine as he again drinks her blood

Willow( Gasping awake sweating from trying to wake up) Leave alone why are you doing this to me( Putting her head in her hands Sobbing) What do you want from me.( Realzing that Maybe Willow dreamed of the future)


	8. We'll Always Have Bourbon Street

**We'll Always Have Bourbon Street**

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon is laying in bed asleep until he wakes up. He sees that Elena isn't beside him and raises his head, looking around.)

Damon: Elena?

(Elena is coming out from the bathroom. She has Damon's shirt over her black lingerie. She walks back over to the bed.)

Elena: Hey.

Damon: Hey.

(Elena jumps into bed beside him)

Damon: Thought you might've left.

Elena: No I don't have to be at school for... (Elena holds her wrist up and looks at it as if there's a watch, which, of course, there isn't.) At least twenty minutes ago. (She and Damon kiss each other and pull away, Damon playing with her hair.) What's that face?

Damon: What face? (He smiles)

Elena: That face.

Damon: I'm happy.

(He smiles again and Elena does too before they kiss once more. Elena rolls on top of him and lifts his chin up with her finger as they continue to kiss.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: This is a disaster!

Stefan: Look, we don't know anything for sure.

Caroline: Yes we do! Elena is sired to Damon! Which means her one singular burning desire is to make him happy, just like Klaus and his hybrids!

Stefan: No it's not. A vampire sired to another vampire is one in a million. Maybe it won't affect her the same way.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena kisses down Damon's chest and Damon seems to enjoy it. Elena looks up at Damon.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: We already know it's affecting her. She's become Damon's lapdog. (Stefan looks at her.) It's true! Everything he says, she agrees with. Everything he asks her to do... she does.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon and Elena continue to kiss. Damon kisses Elena's stomach and proceeds to kiss her up her chest.)

**FORBES HOUSE**

Caroline: We need to do something.

(Caroline pulls her phone out and is ready to call Elena.)

Stefan: Wait, no, hold on Caroline. (He stops her from calling her.) This isn't gossip. You can't just drop this on her before we know what's happening for sure.

Caroline: I need to talk to Tyler, okay? Maybe he'll know what to do.

Stefan: Alright talk to Tyler but please don't tell anyone else. If this is true, then it may have influence on Elena's every action and emotion since she became a vampire.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena and Damon are still making out. Damon kisses her neck and she digs her nails into his back. She digs into his back so hard he begins to bleed. He pauses for a moment, but begins to kiss her neck again.)

**ABANDONED BARN**

(Adrian, a hybrid, is chained up. Hayley, Tyler and Kimberley are all nearby watching as he transforms into a wolf. Adrian screams in pain.)

Adrian: Please, no more, I can't.

Tyler: Yes, you can. Block out the pain.

(Adrian continues to scream in pain until Kimberley speaks up and makes her way over to Adrian.)

Kimberley: That's enough. This is torture.

Hayley: Kim, stop. He needs to finish.

Kimberley: Not today, he doesn't. (She unchains Adrian.)

Hayley: Yes, today. Nate, Dean, and Chris are all dead, which makes Adrian Klaus' right hand. We can't let Adrian anywhere near Klaus until his sire bond is completely broken.

Tyler: Hayley is right. The bond isn't broken until he doesn't feel the pain of transformation anymore. If we want to get back at Klaus for everything he's done to us, Adrian has to keep turning.

Kimberley: He doesn't have to do anything. Isn't that the point of breaking the sire bond - free will? (Hayley and Tyler exchange a look.) Let's go Adrian. (Kimberley and Adrian leave the barn.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Damon and Elena walk down the stairs together and through the hallway.)

Damon: Bag?

Elena: I got it. Ahem.

(Elena grabs her bag from off a table.)

Damon: Scarf.

(Damon takes the scarf and wraps it around her neck.)

Elena: What - oh! (Damon pulls her into a kiss.) Mm. Hmm. (Damon pulls away and kisses her again.) Listen, Damon, we...

Damon: No. No, no no. Don't ruin it.

(He places a finger to her lips. She pushes his hand out of the way and smiles.)

Elena: You didn't even know what I was gonna say.

Damon: Well, I'm assuming it starts with, "What are we?" And then ends with, "Going to tell Stefan?"

Elena: He should know. Damon: I know he should know. I just don't know when he should know it.

Elena: Well, he knows that something is going on between us. I mean, it's the reason that he and I broke up.

Damon: Yeah, but can't we just let ourselves enjoy one secret, selfish day before we destroy his?

Elena: Maybe we shouldn't -

Damon: No, Elena. This is our time. It's never been right before but it is right now. Just one day? One day?

(He holds up one finger and looks at her with pleading, puppy dog eyes.)

Elena: (She smiles) OK, one day.

Damon: Yes.

(She and Damon open the front door to find Stefan walking up. They stop, the tension clear in the air.)

Elena: Hey.

Stefan: Hey.

(There is a very awkward moment of silence between the two of them.)

Elena: See you in history?

Stefan: Yeah.

(Elena nods and walks past Stefan, avoding his gaze. Stefan walks in the house.)

Damon: Hey.

Stefan: Hey.

(Damon closes the door. He stands there, waiting to hear what Stefan has to say.)

Stefan: Listen, we need to talk.

(Sometime later, Stefan has told Damon everything about what him and Caroline have discovered about the sire bond. They sit down on the couch facing each other.)

Damon: Sired? Really Stefan? That is the most pathetic nonsense I've ever heard come out of your mouth, and you've said some crap in your day.

Stefan: It was your blood that turned her, right? I mean, she's been different from day one because of you. You can't deny that.

Damon: Sure I can. I finally got Elena to a good place about being a vampire. You two idiots can't stand that she's happy because of me.

Stefan: All right. You know what? Prove me wrong. Tell her it's OK to drink from a blood bag.

Damon: She can't. Her weird doppelgänger body rejected the blood from the bag.

Stefan: Right, because you told her to. You said she had to drink warm human blood straight from the vein. She almost died to make you happy. (From the look on Damon's face, he clearly doesn't believe in what his brother is saying.) Look, just ask her to drink from a blood bag. Make sure you'll tell her how happy you'll be if it works, and if I'm wrong, I'll be the first to apologize.

Damon: When her body rejects this blood, which it will, your apology better be epic.

(Damon gets up and walks away.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

**(**Elena is walking down the hallway. Bonnie Willow and Caroline are at their lockers and see Elena approaching.)

Bonnie: Elena, hey. Is everything okay?

Elena: Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?

Willow: Well, Caroline told us you had to move out to stay away from Jeremy.

Elena: Matt is at the house staying with him right now to make sure he keeps all of his hunter stuff in control. He's OK.

Caroline: But are you? I mean, clearly, they don't have a flat iron at hotel Salvatore. (She giggles.)

Elena: Oh - I was in a rush. I mean - look, do you girls have any plans tonight? I'm in desperate need of some girl talk. (She takes her hair out of the bun it was in.)

Bonnie: I'm in. Shane taught me some small spells I've been wanting to try.

Caroline: Oh, creepy Professor Guy is just Shane now.

Bonnie: He's not creepy.

Willow: We're not judging.

Caroline: I am.

Elena: Don't listen to her. So, girls' night? We can raid the Salvatore wine cellar.

Caroline: (Caroline looks uncomfortable.) Um, are you sure that Stefan and Damon are cool with us crashing at their place?

Elena: (She catches sight of Damon walking in the school, him motioning for her to talk to him.) I can't go home because my brother is trying to kill me. So their place is mine now, too. I'll see you in a bit.

(Elena walks away to meet Damon with Caroline and Bonnie looking on.)

**CLASS ROOM**

Elena: You being here makes your selfish, secret day a little difficult, don't you think?

(Elena and Damon have their arms around one another and Damon pulls away and takes out a blood bag.)

Damon: Forgot your lunch.

Elena: I can't. You know I can't.

Damon: Well, last time you tried it, the circumstances were less optimal and I think maybe you should just give it another try, see if it works. I really think it will. (Elena looks at Damon.) Please... for me?

(Damon hands Elena the blood bag and she rips the top open, putting it in her mouth. She begins to drink it. Damon looks at her while she drinks it with concern. Elena looks up at him.)

Damon: You okay?

Elena: (She takes it out her mouth.) Mm, I'm fine. It tastes like blood. Last time, it was like hot garbage. (She puts it back into her mouth and continues to drink.)

Damon: You sure you're okay?

Elena: (She nods and pulls the bloodbag out of her mouth.) I'm better than OK. I mean, maybe last time, it was a bad batch or something. I can't believe this, Damon. I don't have to hurt people anymore. (She smiles, while Damon's face is hard. She throws her arms around Damon and hugs him. She pulls away.) I have to get to class. Thank you. (She kisses Damon before leaving for class.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Hayley is rummaging around his office, looking for something. Shane walks in.)

Shane: Trespassing, breaking and entering all before noon?

Hayley: Having trouble breaking Adrian.

Shane: Don't worry about it. You already got the twelve hybrids I need.

Hayley: We have eleven. I told you, Tyler Lockwood isn't part of the deal.

Shane: Well, now there's eleven hybrids. You deliver me twelve without loyalties to Klaus or your friend Tyler becomes fair game.

Hayley: You haven't held up you end of the bargain.

Shane: Right. (He reaches into his coat and pulls out a flashdrive.) This is everything you always wanted to know about your biological parents. And it's encoded in case you're thinking of the smash and grab. Just bring me twelve unsired hybrids and it's yours.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Stefan is talking to Caroline over the phone.)

Caroline: I talked to Tyler.

Stefan: And?

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

Caroline: The sire bond exists because the hybrids are grateful to Klaus for relieving them from the pain of having to wolf out every full moon, and that's why they have to turn until they're not ruled by the pain anymore. (She leans against the wall.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

Stefan: Right, but Elena's not a werewolf so what's the vampire equivalent?

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

Caroline: Well, that's the problem. There isn't one.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Stefan doesn't respond, he seems upset that there is no way to fix the woman he loves. He hangs up without saying goodbye. Meanwhile, Damon is in the library, rummaging through old papers. Stefan enters the room.)

Stefan: What are you doing?

Damon: Elena is sired. You were right, I was wrong. Happy?

Stefan: No, I'm not happy. But what are we gonna do about it?

Damon: Well, I'm working on it. Here.

(He holds a picture up for Stefan to see.)

Damon: Remember that?

(Stefan takes the picture from Damon and looks at it.)

Stefan: New Orleans.

Damon: 1942, to be exact.

Stefan: (He takes a seat.) What was in New Orleans in 1942?

Damon: Other than bourbon and beads... (He turns to his brother.) Us, Stefan.

Stefan: Oh yeah. (Stefan looks at a hat.) What was the name of that girl you used to hang out with?

Damon: That was no ordinary girl. That was Charlotte.

**NEW ORLEANS, 1942**

(Music is playing and a man is singing. A girl, presumably Charlotte, is entering a bar. We see the man who is singing.)

Damon: (Voiceover) She was crazy about me from the minute we met. So, of course, when she asked me to turn her, I did.

(Charlotte takes a seat next to Damon and smiles.)

Damon: Hi.

Charlotte: Hi.

Damon: So, did you decide who you would like to have for dinner tonight?

Charlotte: (She turns and points to the man singing.) Him. He looks tasty.

Damon: That's a very fine choice, Miss Charlotte. I will go set that up. Now, if anyone tries to touch my drink, you show them no mercy, OK? (Charlotte nods and Damon walks away, talking to the man.)

(A sailor walks up to the bar and accidentally knocks Damon's drink over, spilling it everywhere. Charlotte stands up.)

Charlotte: You spilled my man's drink.

Sailor: Sorry. (He flashes Charlotte a smile.) It's crowded in here.

Charlotte: That's no excuse.

Sailor: Hey, take it easy, lady.

Charlotte: I'm not gonna take it easy.

Sailor: What?

(Charlotte reaches forward and snaps the sailor's neck. Damon, who saw the entire thing, grabs the man and sits him upright, making it look like he's still alive.)

Damon: (He looks around.) What did you do?

Charlotte: He touched your drink. You said show no mercy. I thought you'd be happy.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE, 2010**

Damon: That was my first clue.

Stefan: She was sired to you, and I can only assume you took full advantage of that until you got bored of her, right?

Damon: More like when she went all "Fatal Attraction" on me, then I had to make a clean break.

Stefan: How'd you do that?

Damon: (He suddenly finds the paper he's been looking for.) Ah, phew, here. (He hands it to Stefan and he takes it, seeing that it reads 'VALARIE LAMARCHE, 920 DAUPHINE ST.')

Stefan: Who's Valerie LaMarche?

Damon: The witch that I found to help me break little Charlotte's sire bond. (Damon takes a swig of his drink. Stefan looks at him curiously and Damon stands up.) Pack your bags, baby bro. We're going back to Bourbon Street. (Damon walks away.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena has brought a wooden crate into the parlor filled with wine bottles.)

Elena: One for you.

(She takes one of the bottles out and hands it to Bonnie who accepts it.)

Elena: One for you.

(She hands another bottle to Caroline who takes it as well.)

Caroline: Ooh.

Bonnie: I'm assuming this is for Caroline.

(Bonnie holds up a bloodbag. Caroline reaches out for it, but Elena grabs it before she can.)

Elena: Actually, it's for me.

(Bonnie and Caroline exchange a glance, their faces surprised.)

Caroline: I thought -

Bonnie: Oh. Are you saying that -

(Elena drinks the bloodbag and takes it out her mouth, showing her two friends that she can now keep blood from a bloodbag down.)

Elena:( Noticing Willow seating on the other side Quiet hands her a Bottle of Wine) Hey Willow do you want one.

Willow: Oh No I don't drink Elena is it alright if I find some soda in the fridge.

Elena: Go ahead Damon and Stefan won't mind( Watching her walk out of the room to the Kitchen worried on her face)

Elena: Thanks to Damon, I am now a functional dysfunctional vampire.

Bonnie: That's amazing.

Caroline: Uh, what do you mean "thanks to Damon?"

Elena: Well, he suggested that I try it again. So I did and it worked. No more snatch, eat, erase.

Caroline: So where is my least favorite Salvatore?

(Elena sits on the couch opposite of Caroline and Bonnie. She holds up her phone and reads the text message Damon sent her.)

Elena: "Out with Stefan for the night, don't wait up. Brother bonding."

Caroline: Hm, so you guys check-in text now? What else do you do?

Elena: I know that you're not the biggest fan, but he kind of just changed my life. Would you mind laying off on all the hate?

(Bonnie speaks up to break the tension between Elena and Caroline.)

Bonnie: OK, new girls' night rule - no boy talk, yeah? Plus, why talk when we have this?

(She holds up a bag full of a black herb.)

Caroline: Is that stoner tea?!

Bonnie: It's spirit tea. It opens up your chi or whatever. (Caroline doesn't look convinced.) Come on, it's not drugs! Shane is helping me do natural magic without having to access the spirits.

Caroline: Mm-hmm.

Bonnie: Don't judge.

Caroline: (Caroline looks at Bonnie, who stares back at her straight-faced.) OK, fine! I hereby vow not to be judgmental for the rest of the evening! Even if you two are potentially ruining your lives as I stand idly by, it's your choice.

Elena: (She stands up.) I'll drink to that. (Bonnie and Caroline hold up their wine bottles while Elena touch their glasses with her bloodbag.) Cheers. Hey Bonnie have you notice Willow tired Look these days she looks like she hasn't had sleep for days.

Bonnie: I don't now maybe when she comes back in here we can ask her( Willow walks back in carrying a Pepsi in her hand sitting down on the couch) Hey Willow you look tired Haven't been sleeping.

Willow: Not Really with Exams coming soon and Nightmares its been hard to get even one Moment of Peace( Laying her head down on the arm of the couch)

Caroline:( Concerned) What Nightmares have you been having you want to talk about it.

Willow: I've been having this dream about some cave where this Man is frozen on a Alter with him wraped in veins and Believe it or Not but the cure is laying in his hands and when I get close he wakes up and grabs me then Bites me for my Blood and then he throws me Under him where He wrips my shirt off then bites me again taking more blood( Scared in her voice) I think what ever this is that I'm dreaming about is the future Something is after me.

Elena: You do know its just a Dream Willow Nothing from dream could ever harm you

Bonnie: Do you really believe that Elena after what happened to me with Emily after the dreams I had of her.

Elena: Yeah that was a long time ago and what Willow described was a Real Monster in a Dream you are just tired it wil blow over soon.

Willow:( Hurt from the Lack of Concern in Elena's Voice) Thanks Elena for showing me you Care about my dream being just that when you can see I am having trouble sleeping Don't you get it I'm being Haunted( Looking at Elena with Frustration)

Elena:( Surprised and Guilty) I'm Sorry Willow I didn't mean to make you feel like a Freak Willow it was never my Intention Hey How about we Party okay to get your Mind off of it and when you get home later you will be able to sleep better.

Willow: I don't now I will try

**NEW ORLEANS, PRESENT DAY**

(Music is playing and people are partying in the streets. Damon and Stefan walk through the crowd, looking at their surroundings.)

Stefan: Well, the city is the same. Just brighter.

Damon: Have you been back here since '42?

Stefan: Nope, not since I shipped off to join the war effort and you didn't.

Damon: Somebody had to entertain the ladies who had been left by their menfolk. (Damon's cellphone chimes and he takes it out looking at it.) Hey, good news. Elena is at the house with the girls where she can't get in trouble. Bad news - I think they got into the dom. Told her to make herself at home.

Stefan: (He is now facing Damon.) Yeah, you told her so she does, right?

Damon: (Scoffs and walks past Stefan.) Sire bond is not that literal, Stefan.

Stefan: (He turns to Damon.) Really? Name one thing that you've asked her to do that you haven't gotten, huh? (Damon looks at him.)

Damon: You know what I haven't gotten? Blame, guilt. I get it Stefan. I get that your pissed that Elena dumped you because she has feelings for me. Bet you blame the sire bond for that, too.

Stefan: Yeah, you know what? I absolutely do.

Damon: Why, because it's impossible to think she could have feelings for me?

Stefan: No, because it's impossible for her to be so blind that she doesn't see how wrong you are for her. (The two are face to face now. Damon turns around and walks away.) Hey, wait, Damon, I'm sorry.

(Damon turns to face Stefan.)

Damon: What'd you say?

**NEW ORLEANS, 1942**

(Lexi and Stefan are walking through the bar, looking for Damon.)

Stefan: "I'm sorry, I blamed you for my bloodlust and for me becoming a ripper. It wasn't your fault." (He looks over his shoulder.) Do I really have to say it wasn't his fault, Lexi?

Lexi: Yes, keep going. (Lexi is standing in front of the younger Salvatore now.)

Stefan: "You're the only brother I have and I hope that we can be friends again."

Lexi: Perfect. Now, just remember we're here to talk to Damon, not to yell, not to drudge up the past and most definitely not to pick a fight.

Stefan: That's the real trick, isn't it?

Lexi: You've spent the last twenty years turning your life around. It's time to make nice with your brother.

(Stefan and Lexi turn their heads and find Damon sitting at the bar. Stefan goes to talk to him. Damon is bobbing his head to the music and Stefan gives him a light slap on the back. Damon turns, surprised to see that it's Stefan.)

Damon: You look like a guy I used to know.

Stefan: Hello, Damon.

Damon: Come to put a stake in my heart?

Stefan: More like bury the hatchet.

(He holds his hand out for Damon to shake and Damon looks at his hand for a moment. Damon looks at his brother and they give a small smile to each other. Damon shakes his brother's hand and the two hug.)

(Lexi, Stefan and Damon are all sitting at the bar. Stefan is telling Damon some stories.)

Damon: Egypt, ha! Finally gonna get to see the pyramids.

Stefan: Oh, I doubt I'll be doing much sightseeing. Driving an ambulence through the front lines, but yeah, yeah, Egypt.

Damon: Think they have room for another driver? (Stefan seems a bit surprised by what Damon is saying.) I could handle some war ,if it meant spending quality time with my little brother. (Lexi takes a shot of her drink, not happy at Damon's words.)

Stefan: Tell you what, I'll talk to my C.O. (Stefan takes a swig of his drink and gets up.) I'm gonna get us another round. (He walks off and waves the bartender over. Lexi stands up and leans in close to Damon.)

Lexi: You're not going.

Damon: I don't like you.

Lexi: In 1912, you pressured Stefan to drink human blood. He's been trying to put his ripper days behind him, but he needs to see death and blood and deal with them as part of life. He needs balance, restraint.

Damon: What makes you think I'm not balanced and restrained?

Lexi: The fact that you never have been. You think of what you want, first, second and third. Stefan is better off alone than in your company.

Damon: Well, I beg to differ.

(Stefan walks up and Lexi puts on a smile.)

Stefan: To the Salvatores in Eygpt! (He and Damon clink glasses and say "Cheers", he and Lexi then do the same. Lexi drinks and stares at Damon while doing so and he glances at her. Charlotte then walks up, with a victim in her arms.)

Charlotte: Damon. (Damon looks alarmed and Stefan looks at Charlotte.) Did you forget you were supposed to meet us for dinner?

Damon: Sorry, I lost track of time.

Charlotte: I brought you leftovers.

(She lets Damon see the victim's neck, which is smeared with blood that is pouring down her neck.)

Damon: Charlotte!

(He looks around to see if anyone has taken notice. Charlotte then hands off the lady to Stefan and the blood gets on his hand. Damon takes the lady from Stefan's arms.)

Lexi: Get away from him!

Damon: Stefan!

(Stefan stares at his bloodly fingers.)

Damon: Stefan.

(He puts a hand on Stefan's back.)

Stefan: I - I -

Damon: Stefan?

(Dark veins appear on Stefan's face and Lexi grabs Stefan, ready to leave the bar.)

Damon: Stefan.

(Lexi turns to Damon before leaving. She looks at Charlotte and back at Damon.)

Lexi: She's better off without you, too.

(Lexi walks out of the bar.)

**NEW ORLEANS, present day **

(Stefan and Damon are walking through the streets)

Stefan: I apologize, all right? As much as I hate this sire bond thing, I shouldn't take it out on you. It's not really your fault.

Damon: Well ,dont get all warm and fuzzy on me yet. (They stop in front of an apartment) It's where the witch lived.

Stefan: What, you weren't expecting to find the same exact witch in the same place?

Damon: No, but since I couldn't remember where the store was, figured it'd give us a start. Stefan: Maybe there's another place to start. You think Charlotte might be in New Orleans?

Damon: Yeah, maybe.

Stefan: Where was the last place you saw her?

Damon: Corner of Bourbon and Dumaine. Kind of told her to count every brick in every building in New Orleans, and I'd meet her at the corner. (He pauses.) I was gone by morning.

(Stefan looks at him and turns around and walks away.)

Damon: Where you going?

(Stefan turns around and looks at him, still walking backwards.)

Stefan: Corner of Bourbon and Dumaine. See how literal the sire bond is.

(Damon sighs and follows after him)

**AT MYSTIC GRILL**

(Kim and Adrian are playing pool at the table while Tyler and Hayley are sitting at a table watching them)

Hayley: They are gonna get us both killed and we are just sitting here.

Tyler: Kim is right. The point of breaking the sire bond is being dont have to listen to me.

Hayley: Yes they do, Ty. You can make them. Hybrids are werewolves first. Wolves run in packs and every pack needs an Alpha or they end up challenging each other for dominance. Kim is challenging your position as Alpha. You need to put her in her place. Now.

(Tyler nods and goes to the pool table. Adrian shoots the cue ball at the black eight ball, but Tyler puts his hand out and grabs the ball before it can roll into the pocket. Adrian raises his head to look at him.)

Tyler: Long day tomorrow Adrian. You want it to go better than today, you need to get some rest.

(Hayley has gotten up from the table as well and watches Tyler.)

Kim: Who do you think you are?

Tyler: The guy telling you to call it a night.

(Kim walks over to Tyler and they stare each other down. Kim grabs a pool stick and tries to attack Tyler with it. Tyler grabs the stick.)

Tyler: This could get a lot uglier right now but I'm not gonna let it. Challenge me again, this conversation will end differently. You understand?

Kim: Fine. Whatever you say.

Tyler: Finish your drink and get Adrian back to the stables. We'll meet you there.

(Tyler pushes Kim back and walks away. Hayley stands there for a moment, glaring at Kim, then follows Tyler out of the Grill. After they have gone, Kim starts to walk away. Adrian follows her.)

Adrian: Where are we going?

Kim: To pick a fight.

(Adrian reluctantly follows Kim out of the Grill.)

**NEW ORLEANS**

**(**Stefan and Damon are walking down a street. They stop at the corner of two streets.)

Damon: There's no way she's gonna be in the same spot after seventy years.

Stefan: So, what are we gonna tell Elena?

Damon: I was hoping we wouldn't have to tell her anything.

Stefan: (scoffs) Well, we can't just lie to her.

Damon: It's not a lie. It's an omission for the greater good.

Stefan: Oh, I see. I 's Damon speak for "Lets not do the right thing, lets just do what's right for me."

Damon: Oh, what about you, O selfless one? Are you doing what's best for Elena or what's best for you? Because it looks to me like the only reason you want to break Elena's sire bond is to restore her original factory 'Team Stefan' settings.

(He pauses and both of them stare at each other.)

Damon: I'm gonna go get a drink. Hunt me down when you stop being a dick.

(Damon proceeds to walk away. Stefan stands at the corner, looking ashamed. Damon makes his way around the corner and walks down a deserted street. He hears a noise behind him and stops. He turns to look behind him and spots no one. When he turns back around, an unknown vampire rushes at him and throws him to the ground. Stefan hears the commotion and rushes to where Damon is. He throws the vampire off of his brother and Damon gets up.)

Stefan: What the hell just happened?

Damon: She kissed me.

(The vampire gets up and is shown to be Charlotte. She smiles at the sight of Damon.)

Charlotte: Damon, I always knew you'd come back for me. I must have counted literally every brick on every building in all of New Orleans.

(Damon looks taken aback and turns to look at Stefan. Stefan looks horrified.)

Stefan: Literally every brick?

(Damon looks away, clearly ashamed. Charlotte wraps her arms around Damon's neck, but Damon tries to back away from her.)

Damon: Uh, Charlotte, uh. Ha.

(Damon pats her arm and pulls away from her.)

Damon: Please tell me you had a full life and that you've done something other than counting bricks.

Charlotte: Of course I have, I'm not crazy.

(Damon shakes his head, as if agreeing with her comment about not being crazy.)

Stefan: Then why are you still here?

(She turns and looks at Stefan.)

Charlotte: You know when someone breaks up with you and there's a song that reminds you of them. First, you hate it

(She places her hand on Damon's shoulder and caresses it.)

Charlotte: But then it brings back all the good memories of them. Counting the bricks is my song and I've been playing it for decades.

Stefan: (very dryly) That's a really long time stuck listening to the same song.

(Charlotte has placed her arms back around Damon's neck.)

Damon: Yeah, heh..

(Damon grabs her hands from around his neck and pulls them away. He gently pats them between his own hands.)

Damon: Well you know, in the plus column, you know New Orleans better than anyone in the world. Which is really nice, because we need your help finding someone.

**SALVATORE HOUSE**

(Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie are partying. They are dancing and drinking while Bonnie is capturing it all on her phone. Elena pours another glass of champagne for herself, but realizes the bottle is empty. Elena uses her super speed and goes into the dining room, stands on the table, and grabs another bottle of champagne. Caroline and Bonnie cheer for her as she super speeds back into the room and pops the cork off the new champagne bottle. She pours herself another glass and the girls all hug each other and fall on the couch.)

(Upstiars, the girls have made their way into Damon's bathroom. Elena is lying in the tub and Bonnie and Caroline are sitting next to her. The three of them are giggling and having a great seeing Willow asleep on Damon's bed is really Concerned about her Now realize that Willow was telling the truth about being Haunted and Not able to sleep)

Elena: Wow she is really sleeping.

Bonnie: She looks like she needs it Lets let her lay there until its time to go

Bonnie: Check this out: Vamp speed video.

(She hands Elena her phone and Elena plays the video.)

Elena: (laughing) I look like Superman. Watch this. (She pauses the video at the point where she is superspeeding back into the room. The capture shows a giant blur behind her due to the speed at which she is running. She shows it to Bonnie and Caroline.) This year's Christmas card. (They all laugh.) Being a vampire is so weird. Oh my God, I love this bathtub. Why don't we come and hang out here more often?

Caroline: I'll tell you why. Cooties. Think of all the germ-ridden skanks that Damon has lured into his den of enequity.

(Caroline giggles. Elena sits up in the bath tub and does not look amused. Bonnie also looks unamused by Caroline's attempt at a joke.)

Caroline: Ok, I'm sorry. I've been good all night. I am stopping now.

Elena: (sarcastically) No, don't stop on my account. Rip away. I mean, it's only Damon, right?

Caroline: Well, say what you want about Ripper Stefan, but at least he wasn't a man slut.

Bonnie: Come on.

Elena: So, what exactly was it about him that made you jump right into bed with him as soon as you met him?

Caroline: I didn't know what a sociopathic narcissist he was.

Elena: He's always been there for me when I needed him.

Caroline: Yeah, because he's hoping you'll sleep with him.

Elena: Well, maybe I did.

(Caroline and Bonnie look at her in shock.)

Caroline: You did what?!

Bonnie: You didn't.

Elena: Yeah, I did. Look, I know you two have issues with him, but I'm happy, and I wanted to spend tonight with my best friends so that I could tell them about it.

(Elena gets up from the bathtub and walks away, leaving Caroline and Bonnie in the bathroom, still in shock.)

**NEW ORLEANS - PRESENT DAY**

(Stefan and Damon enter a shop. A middle aged woman comes out from the back of the shop.)

Nandi: Can I help you, gentleman?

Damon: Hi. We're looking for a witch. Sorry, no time for pleasantries.

(Stefan looks at Damon)

Nandi: I'm sorry. I don't understand.

Damon: Look..( He looks at a board behind her, where " Nandi Special" is written) Nandi, is it? Let's skip the part where you pretend like you don't know what we're talking about. (He looks at Stefan. Stefan raises his eyebrows.) We need a spell that could break a vampire sire bond. Now, there was a witch here named Val. Ring any bells?

Nandi: She was my great-grandmother.

Damon: She had a grimoire and it had a spell.

**( Flashback of the shop where Damon is talking to Val about this magic in 1942)**

Val: The magic you are talking about is dark, powerful. Magic like this doesn't come cheap.

(Damon looks over at a little girl sitting at a table. She looks at him and smiles as she continues to write in a booklet. Damon looks back at Val.)

Damon: How much?

Val: Money won't cut it here, pretty one. Dark magic draws power from dark places. Casting the spell you need requires the sacrifice of 12 human souls.

**(Same shop, at present)**

Stefan: A sacrifice? You brought me here knowing that the spell required a human sacrifice.

Damon: Well, I was hoping the recipe had changed.

Nandi: Look, there's no magic like that here. I sell herbs and homeopathic remedies and dress it up with a little witchy-woo-woo for the tourists, but I don't practice.

Damon: Okay, fine, listen, just tell us where we can find someone like your great-grandma who can break the sire-bond and won't flake out on us like old Val did.

Nandi: There's no one. All of her stuff is gone - the grimoires, her journals. We lost it all during Katrina. If a spell like that ever existed, it's gone for good.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena is cleaning up the mess from the party in the parlor. Bonnie and Caroline come downstairs to talk to her.)

Bonnie: Elena, come on.

Elena: Party is over. You guys need to leave.

Caroline: Don't be mad, okay? We're just looking out for you.

(Elena finallys turns around and looks at them.)

Elena: Do you think it makes me happy that you guys hate him? I get it. His track record has been kind of spotty but I don't hate him. I can't. He's - I think I'm falling in love with him.

Caroline: Ugh, you're not falling in love with him, Elena. You're sired to him.

(Bonnie and Elena look at her in shock. Caroline knows she shouldn't have revealed this and looks slightly ashamed.)

Bonnie: What?

Elena: What are you talking about?

(Caroline walks down the steps towards Elena.)

Caroline: I... Look, I'm sorry that it came out like that, but it's true. Damon's blood turned you. You couldn't feed from animals or blood bags because he told you so. Then he suggested that you try again with blood bags and suddenly...

Elena: No. There's no way, I...

Bonnie: (to Caroline) Are you sure?

Caroline: Yeah. Ask Stefan about it. He can explain it better than I can.

Elena: (angrily) I'm sorry, you talked to Stefan about this?

Caroline: It's not your fault, Elena. Okay, Damon took advantage of you.

Elena: (angrily) Ok, you need to leave.

(Caroline is shocked and speechless.)

Elena: Now!

(Elena strides past Caroline and Bonnie and walks to the front door.)

Bonnie: Elena!

Caroline: Come on!

Elena: I said leave.

(Elena opens the front door and looks at Caroline and Bonnie. Out on the porch are Adrian and Kim.)

Kim: Hello girls.

(Elena turns and looks at her. Kim rushes into the house and knocks Elena into the wall. She then rushes at Caroline and grabs her by the throat. Adrian rushes in and grabs Elena who fights back and pushes him against another wall. Adrian gets the upperhand eventually and slams Elena into the wall. Both of them have their hands wrapped around the others' throat. Bonnie starts to perform a spell which is so powerful it makes the lights flicker and break.)

Kim: Stop!

(Bonnie looks at Kim and stops the spell. Kim's eyes have turned yellow.)

Kim: One bite from a hybrid and she's dead, remember?

(Adrian throws Elena to the floor. Bonnie helps Elena to get up. When they turn around, they see that Kim and Adrian have gone, but that Caroline has been kidnapped as well.)

Elena: Caroline?

(Bonnie and Elena look out the front door and start to worry about Caroline's running down the stairs Panicing)

Willow: What is going on.

Elena: Caroline was taken by some crazy Hybrids we have to find her Now.

Willow: Right Lets get to it then

**New Orleans**

( Stefan and Damon are walking down the street)

Damon: Witch is lying. Doesn't practice magic, my ass.

Stefan: Human sacrifice? Did you really think I would go for this?

(Charlotte is seen sitting on the footsteps of a building while the brothers are walking towards her).

Damon: Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures.

Stefan: Did you kill those 12 people in 1942?

Damon: Absolutely, I did, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant a clean slate with Elena.

Stefan: Hmm.

Damon: Are you gonna help me good cop/bad cop this witch or not?

**In the woods** (Tyler is talking on the phone with Hayley, while Elena and Willow is walking beside him, looking at her phone.)

Tyler: I get it, Hayley. I'll find them and I'll get them in line.

(Tyler hangs up on her.)

Elena: Bonnie says no luck with the locater spell.

Tyler: They've got to be here. They're not dumb enough to risk getting caught by Klaus in town.

Willow: Well, what do they want with Caroline?

(Elena stops walking and Tyler turns to face her.)

Tyler: Kim is trying to prove that she's the Alpha. If I can make her submit, the pack will fall in line and we can finally get them free of Klaus. You'd think they'd play along with how much they hate him.

Elena: But Adrian doesn't, does he? I mean he's still sired to Klaus.

Tyler: Being sired doesn't mean you feel differently about someone. I hated Klaus but I still did everything he said. The bond affects how you act, not how you feel.

(Suddenly, they hear Caroline scream.)

Tyler: Caroline.

(They run towards from where the screams came)

**New Orleans, Inside Nandi's shop**

(Nandi is doing some work. Damon enters the shop, behind her. She turns around and looks at Damon)

Nandi: What are you doing here?

Damon: Calling you out. You're not Val's great-granddaughter. You're her daughter.

(Damon remembers the time he visited the shop in 1942 and how the little girl sitting at the table behind Val was writing the name "Nandi" all over her notebook.)

Damon: You're 80 years old. You don't look a day over 50. You're a practicing witch.

Nandi: Get out of my store.

Damon: Give me what I want.

( He starts to walk towards her. Nandi turns around and uses her powers to give Damon an anuerysm. Damon falls to the ground holding his head with both hands.)

Nandi: I gave you a chance to leave with your life.

(Suddenly, Stefan enters the store from the back.)

Stefan: Wait, wait, wait, wait. We don't want any trouble ok? We just - we just need your help. That's all.

Nandi: I told you there's no one here who can help you. The kind of magic my mother practiced, it's unnatural. Witches don't even call it magic. We call it expression.

(Nandi stops her spell on Damon.)

Stefan: Is that like black magic?

Nandi: Worse. Channeling the power of human sacrifices calls on darkness that can't exist on this plane without swallowing it whole. She sold you a bill of goods about breaking the sire bond because she wanted access to that power and you gave it to her when you killed those 12 people.

(Stefan walks over to Damon. Damon gets up from the floor.)

Damon: Are you saying there's no spell?

Nandi: The bond can't be broken with magic. A vampire only bonds to her sire when she has feelings for him before she turns, human feelings. Vampirism only heightens those emotions. You want her free? You have to set her free. Tell her to live her life without you and never think of you again, to stop caring about you, and then leave her. That's the only way around the sire bond.

**Inside the stable**

(Caroline's hands are tied up in shackles. Kim presses down on the chains and Caroline shouts in pain.)

Caroline: Arghh. Why are you doing this?

Kim: To show Tyler who's in charge.

(Kim cracks Caroline's wrists and Caroline again screams in pain. Tyler Willow and Elena rush into the barn and towards them.)

Tyler: Stop! Stop it, Kim. Caroline's with us. Alright? We're all on the same team.

Kim: She's on your team, not mine.

(Behind Tyler and Elena, the other hybrids enter the barn. The hybrids restrain Elena and Tyler while Kim continues to torture a screaming Caroline. Tyler attempts to free himself from the grasp of the two hybrids holding him back.)

Tyler: Stop it! Stop!

Adrian: Ease up, Kim. Klaus won't like this.

Kim: That's a very good point. Do you think he'll like this?

(Kim picks up a stake and shows it to Tyler and the rest of the hybrids.)

Tyler: Kim! Don't do it. I swear to God!

(Kim lowers the stakes towards Caroline's heart.)

Elena: No, wait, wait, wait, wait. If you really want to hit Klaus where it hurts, then torture me instead. He's fixated on keeping me alive. You want real revenge or not?

(Kim hesitates for a moment but lowers the stake. She gets up and moves toward Elena. She grabs Elena by the throat and is ready to kill her when Tyler manages to get himself loose from the hybrids holding him back. He grabs Kim and sticks his hand in her chest and grabs her heart. Kim gasps in pain. The other hybrids move towards her.)

Tyler: Stay back! I'll rip her heart out right now!

(The hybrids don't make any more moves towards the pair of them. Tyler looks Kim dead in the eye.)

Tyler: Kim put you all at risk today but I'm not gonna hurt her. I'm not Klaus. I don't kill and torture my own friends to get what I want. Now, we broke the sire bond, but if you want to be free we have to work together. No one can step out of line. Now, you're either with me or you're against me. Submit. Submit or you die.

(Kim falls down on her knees and Tyler kneels down with her, keeping his hand in her chest and his grasp around her heart.)

Kim: I'm... I'm sorry.

(Tyler removes his hand from her chest. Kim gasps and catches her breath. Tyler stands up and looks down at Kim. He looks around at the other hybrids. One by one, all of the other hybrids get down on their knees, submitting to Tyler and showing him that he is the Alpha.)

**New Orleans** (Damon and Charlotte are inside a pub. They are sitting, opposite each other.)

Charlotte: So, you're just leaving me again?

Damon: No, I need to get on with my life and so do you.

Charlotte: I don't want to live without you.

Damon: If you want to make me happy you will. You just forget about me. You'll never think of me again, and you'll find someone new, and you'll be happier than ever.

(Charlotte begins to cry.)

Damon: Please, stop crying.

(She wipes the tears from her eyes and stops.)

Charlotte: I'm never gonna be able to forget about you.

Damon: Yes, you are. And I'm never gonna be happy until you realize that you're never gonna have the life that you deserve if I'm in it. ( He stands up) Goodbye, Charlotte.

(He exits the pub. Stefan is outside waiting for him on a bench. Damon walks up to him and Stefan gets up.)

Stefan: How'd it go?

Damon: I set her free.

Stefan: Must've been hard. Doing the right thing, especially when it's not something you want to do.

Damon: Get to the point, Stefan. You don't think I'm gonna be able to do what I need to when I have to tell Elena to stay away from me.

Stefan: Well, I mean, selflessness isn't exactly one of your most obvious character traits, Damon.

Damon: Yeah? Well, one of these days you're gonna realize you don't know me half as well as you think.

(Damon whistles for a cab) **New Orleans, 1942 (**At the train station, Damon steps out of the a taxi cab in full uniform, ready to go to war with his brother. He enters the train station and places his luggage on a cart.)

Lexi: Damon.

(Damon looks up and sees Lexi.)

Lexi: I know what you did and you're not going overseas with Stefan. Do you understand me?

Damon: Well, Uncle Sam begs to differ.

Lexi: You just killed 12 innocent people.

(Damon walks towards her.)

Damon: How do you know they didn't have it coming?

Lexi: Your brother has spent the last 20 years racked with guilt, fighting the temptation to drink human blood. He's serving in war as penance for the pain that he has caused. If he finds out what you did, he'll want to know how it is you function without guilt for the things that you do. He'll turn to you for guidance like he did before and he'll become the Ripper of Monterrey all over again.

Damon: I've pretty much been on my own since our little falling out in 1912. Did you ever think that I just need my little brother?

Lexi: And that's why you can't go. It might be good for you, Damon. But it will destroy Stefan.

(Lexi looks out of the station at Stefan.)

Lexi: For once, you need to put someone else in front of yourself.

(Damon looks at Stefan who seems to be searching the crowd for Damon.)

Lexi: You need to let him go.

(Damon walks away from Lexi who is still watching him. He looks at Stefan again with a sad look upon his face.)

Damon: Good luck, Brother.

(Damon picks up his luggage and leaves)

**New Orleans, at present**

(Damon walks past Stefan towards the taxi he whistled down. Stefan stares blankly at the ground for a moment then turns to Damon and follows him to the cab.)

Stefan: I didn't know about that.

Damon: Yeah, well, next time I'll hang a billboard.

Stefan: Look, I know it may seem like I'm being unfair about this, like I'm upset about losing Elena to you, and I am. But after all this is over, if she never feels the same way about me as she used to, at least it'll be her choice.

Damon: The dreaded C - word.

(He opens the door to the taxi.)

Damon: I know what I have to do Stefan.

( He gets inside the taxi and Stefan follows him)

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Elena walks down the stairs towards the door as Caroline enters the house. They look at each other for a moment and then Caroline hugs Elena tightly.)

Caroline: I'm sorry.

(There is a moment of silence between them as Caroline holds on to Elena.)

Caroline: Ok, if you don't start hugging me back this is gonna get really awkward really fast.

Elena: You've got my hands pinned down.

Caroline: Oh.

(She takes her arms away from around Elena for a second, then wraps them around her again. Elena wraps her arms around Caroline as well and they embrace.)

Caroline: I'm a jerk. I promise to never again judge ever.

Elena: Just please don't tell Stefan about me and Damon.

(They stop hugging each other and look at each other.)

Elena: I promise that I'll tell him. I just - I need to figure out some stuff first.

Caroline: Of course.

(Caroline rubs Elena's arm. Bonnie walks in from behind Elena With Willow.)

Willow: You guys friends again? Thank God.

Caroline: Well, she saved my life. In spite of me being the nasty, bad witch.

Elena: Thankfully we had our good witch. You know, your hottie creepy Professor really knows his stuff, Bonnie.

Bonnie: It's been baby steps but he's helping with a whole new kind of magic. He calls it expression.

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Shane enters his office and sees Hayley sitting on his desk.)

Shane: You ever hear of a text message? Maybe just give a guy a heads up?

Hayley: Adrian finished breaking the sire bond. You have your twelve hybrids. Now, where are my parents?

Shane: They're dead.

(Hayley looks upset.)

Hayley: You lied to me?

Shane: No, I didn't lie to you. I said I'd tell you where to find them.

(He pulls out a flashdrive and shows it to her.)

Shane: This is everything you ever wanted to know, including where they're buried.

(Hayley angrily walks over to him and snatches the flashdrive from his hand.)

Hayley: You just picked a fight with a werewolf. You know that, right?

(Shane walks closer towards her.)

Shane: Easy, killer, alright? I'm not declaring war here. Now, just cause they're dead, doesn't mean you can't see them again.

Hayley: What?

Shane: This is far from over, Hayley. We are the beginning.

**FORBES HOUSE**

(Caroline is sitting in a chair in the living room while Stefan is talking to her.)

Caroline: You feel sorry for him?

Stefan: Look, there's no other way to break a vampire sire bond. As much as you and I both hate it, Damon does love Elena. Now he has to completely let her go. Ever imagine having to do that?

Caroline: I'm sorry I told her. Okay, I kind of didn't have a choice. All I know is he better do what he's supposed to do.

(Stefan sits down.)

Stefan: He'll do it. He's not as bad as he wants you to think. He'll do what he needs to do, he told me he would.

Caroline: Is that all he told you?

Stefan: What do you mean?

Caroline: Nothing. It's just (She sighs.) It's just - how can you trust him?

Stefan: Because I think he loves her as much as I do. He can't be selfish with her. Not anymore.

(Caroline nods understandingly.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Elena is cleaning up the wine bottles from the sleepover last night. Damon walks in the room and leans against the doorframe. Elena doesn't look over at him, but still notices that he's there.)

Elena: Hey.

Damon: Hey back.

Elena: How was your night?

(She turns around and looks at him.)

Damon: Awful. Yours?

Elena: Same.

Damon: Elena, um... we need to talk.

(He walks towards her.)

Elena: I know that I'm sired to you, Damon.

(Damon stops and looks up at her in surprise.)

Elena: Caroline told me. That's what you and Stefan were doing, isn't it? Is there a way to break it?

Damon: Not exactly. Which is why we need to talk.

Elena: Tyler told me the bond doesn't affect how I feel, just the way I act. My feelings for you haven't changed, Damon. Nothing has changed.

Damon: Everything has changed, Elena.

Elena: Okay, fine, yeah, I mean, I've changed. So have you, Damon. And I'm happy. Just like you were yesterday morning before we knew about any of this.

Damon: You know what would make me happy? To know that this entire time that I've been completely in love with you; that what you actually felt for me; was real.

Elena: It is real. I know that it is. Damon, I know what you're about to do. Please, don't do this to me.

(Elena walks closer to Damon until they are merely inches apart.)

Damon: I don't want to do this, Elena. I'm not the good guy, remember? I'm the selfish one. I take what I want. I do what I want. I lie to my brother, I fall in love with his girl, I don't do the right thing.

(Elena looks at him, sadly.)

Damon: But I have to do the right thing by you.

(Elena takes Damon's hand and places it against her heart.)

Elena: Does this feel wrong?

(Damon looks at her in silence. Elena places one of her hands against Damon's cheek.)

Elena: Does this feel wrong?

(Elena and Damon continue to look at each other with his hand on her heart and her hand on his cheek.)


	9. O, Come All Ye Faithful

**O Come, All Ye Faithful**

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – DAMON'S ROOM**

(Elena wakes up in Damon's bed. She turns on her side and looks at Damon who is sleeping next to her. She gazes at him for a moment before he speaks up.)

Damon: This would be so much more fun if we were naked.

Elena: That was your call, not mine.

(Damon opens his eyes.)

Damon: I was being a gentleman. (He rolls over onto his back.) You shouldn't have stayed.

Elena: I know.

(Damon gets out of the bed and walks over to his dresser.)

Damon: I should have made you leave. Sent you packing. I promised Stefan.

(Elena sits up in the bed.)

Elena: I know.

(Damon takes his shirt off and takes a fresh shirt out of his drawer and puts it on.)

Damon: You're sired to me, Elena. Which means everything that you think you feel; might not even be real.

Elena: I know, Damon, but it feels real.

(Elena gets off the bed and walks over to Damon.)

Elena: And I'm not ready to let go of that.

Damon: Well, I can make you. Invoke the sire bond.

Elena: So do it.

Damon: I told him I would set you free. Right after I didn't tell him that we slept together.

Elena: So, what do you want to do?

(Damon moves closer to Elena so that their faces are merely inches apart.)

Damon: I wanna throw you back in my bed and never let you leave.

Elena: So do it.

(Damon is about to kiss Elena, but her cell phone goes off.)

Damon: Saved by the cell phone.

(Elena rolls her eyes and takes out her phone.)

Elena: I have to meet Bonnie. She's teaching Jeremy how not to kill me.

(She walks back towards the bed and picks up her bag. She looks up at Damon.)

Elena: Wanna come?

**KLAUS' MANSION**

(Klaus is in his parlor painting on a canvas. Stefan walks into the room and looks at the painting.)

Stefan: Looks like a giant snowflake.

Klaus: I prefer to think of it as an expression of post modernism. It's my donation to the Winter Wonderland charity event.

(Adrian enters the room.)

Adrian: (to Klaus) You said it was urgent.

Klaus: Yes, take this to the Mystic Grill immediately.

Adrian: You want me to be a delivery guy?

(Klaus walks forward and closes the space between him and Adrian.)

Klaus: What I want is for you to do whatever I say. Without the attitude.

(Adrian grimaces and walks over to the painting. He picks it up and starts to leave the room.)

Klaus: And be careful with that. It's still wet.

Stefan: Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, you know.

Klaus: What is the point of my hybrids being sired to me if I can't maximize on the benefits of free labour? What are you doing here?

(Stefan walks down the stairs and into the room.)

Stefan: Elena is sired to Damon.

Klaus: I intuited as much.

Stefan: Which means I need to find the cure now more than ever and yet here you are making postmodern snowflakes.

Klaus: I've delivered.

(Klaus walks away and grabs a cloth to wipe the paint off his hands.)

Klaus: I retrieved the Hunter's sword from Italy which we'll use to decipher the map hidden in the Hunter's mark. You're the one who is supposed to deliver the Hunter and his mark.

Stefan: Well, Jeremy is the hunter, and he has to keep killing vampires to complete his mark, but we can't quite figure out how to keep him from killing us.

Klaus: Sounds like quite the chore. Which is why I feel perfectly justified doing a little charity work.

Stefan: Hmm, or maybe you're lying about having found the sword.

Klaus: Why would I lie to you, Stefan?

(Klaus strides past Stefan and towards a vault in the other room.)

Klaus: We're in this together.

(Stefan follows Klaus into the other room. Klaus turns the dial on the vault and opens it up. He takes the sword out.)

Klaus: The hilt acts as a cipher which we'll use to decode the marks on Jeremy's tattoo when he's killed enough vampires to complete it.)

(Klaus places the sword down on a table. He takes a seat on the sofa and props his feet up on the same table. Stefan picks the sword up and examines it.)

Klaus: I heard you moved out of your house.

(Stefan looks at him.)

Klaus: Bit of a martyr move, hm?

Stefan: I'm not here to bond, Klaus.

(Stefan places the sword back on the table.)

Klaus: Oh, on the contrary, I think right now I'm the best friend you've got.

WILLOW'S HOUSE

The day for Willow started with doing some excersies with her punching bag and Doing some Running around the block everything that has been going on with Damon, Elena and Stefan Now they want the Cure its really getting Stupid even if Elena is a vampire they still want to Protect her after she finished running around the block she gets in the shower and starts washing her body thinking about the Charity Event coming up and the Painting she is Donating to the event Hoping the Piece is good enough Drying off she steps out of the Bathroom and brouse through her closet to find a Blue silk dress her White sweater and her black flats she then goes to her vanity to fix her hair deciding to go Stright today and Putting a little Make up on she then grabs her Mini Purse and Keys she Walks out to her car and Drives away to get to town.  
**LOCKWOOD CELLAR**

(Adrian walks into the cellar where Tyler and Kim await him.)

Adrian: I'm sick of taking his crap. I should rip his throat out. See if he can boss us around without a larynx.

Tyler: You won't have to take it much longer.

Kim: You keep saying that, but here we are hiding, plotting a revolution that's never gonna happen.

(Hayley enters the cellar.)

Hayley: Never say never and never say I don't pull through. I found the witch that's gonna save your lives.

(Hayley smiles at Kim and Adrian.)

Adrian: Are you serious?

(Hayley continues to smile. Tyler looks from Hayley back to Adrian.)

Tyler: We promised you guys we'd free you from Klaus. You did your part by breaking your sire bond, now Hayley and I are gonna do ours.

**TOWN SQUARE – WINTER WONDERLAND EVENT**

(In the town square, the Winter Wonderland charity event is in full swing, complete with fake snow. Caroline Willow and Tyler and standing in the middle of the square.)

Caroline: You're going to do what?!

Tyler: Hayley found a witch strong enough to do the body jump spell. You know, the Klaus specialty.

Willow: So, you're going to put him in someone else's body and then what?

Tyler: We'll encase the body in concrete then bury it.

Caroline: Why not just desiccate him like Bonnie did?

Tyler: Because to do that spell, you have to stop a human heart. I was a little short of volunteers.

Caroline: Well, who was dumb enough to volunteer their body to be a Klaus sublet?

(Tyler sighs but doesn't respond. Caroline's face falls as she realizes that Tyler is the volunteer.)

Tyler: Okay, don't freak out.

Caroline: Freak out! Freak out?! I'm about to hemorrhage! You volunteered?!

Tyler: It's not forever. Just long enough for the hybrids to be able to completely disappear.

Caroline: Well, I can think of better ways for us to spend our senior year then you buried in concrete, Tyler.

(Caroline has grown increasingly angry, but Tyler's face remains calm. He gently grabs Caroline by the shoulders and looks directly at her.)

Tyler: This started with me. This has to end with me.

(Caroline can't seem to bear looking Tyler in the eyes. She continues to look down at the ground.)

Tyler: I need your support.

(Caroline finally looks up at him with sad eyes.)

Willow: Are you sure the Revenge against Klaus is worth it look what he has done already he has you so bent on Killing him you can't think stright you should be better then he is but your letting him Win.

Tyler: He turned me into a Hybrid and then he forced me to almost kill my girlfriend I can't let him get away with that I realize that I shouldn't waste my time but I am not just doing this for me I'm doing this for the other hybrids as well.

Caroline: You are all going to get Killed Tyler I can't lose you again.

Tyler: You won't I promise Please be on myside.

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Jeremy is outside of the house, chopping wood. He pulls the axe out of the log he just chopped and places it into a tree trunk where a small wooden stake lies. He picks up the stake and stares at it. He then throws it down, picking the axe back up and chopping another piece of wood with vigor. Suddenly, he sees Damon and Elena pull up the driveway in Damon's car. Bonnie hurries over to him.)

Bonnie: Jeremy.

(Jeremy walks in front of the car and looks at them. Bonnie stands right behind him.)

Jeremy: They shouldn't be here.

Bonnie: They're here to help you.

(Jeremy continues to stare at Elena and Damon.)

Bonnie: Do you trust me?

(Bonnie has wrapped her hands around the handle of the axe which Jeremy is still holding with a firm grip. Damon glances over at Elena who has a stony look upon her face.)

Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah, I trust you.

(Jeremy releases his grip on the axe and Bonnie takes it from him. She throws the axe aside and takes his arm in her hands.)

Bonnie: Let's go inside.

(Bonnie leads Jeremy back towards the house as Jeremy continues to look at Elena and Damon. Bonnie places her hand on Jeremy's back and continues to guide him towards the house. As they approach, Shane opens the front door and walks out towards Bonnie and Jeremy.)

Damon: What the hell is Professor Shadypants doing here?

Elena: I invited him.

(Damon looks over at her, clearly not pleased with her decision making.)

(Inside the Gilbert house, Shane and Bonnie move around some furniture for the later hypnosis they will perform on Jeremy.)

Shane: Okay, listen, we are ready to get started, but before we can do that, we need her.

(Jeremy looks out the front door and sees Elena and Damon approaching.)

Shane: In here.

Elena: This is your house now, Jer.

(Jeremy walks closer to the front door.)

Elena: You have to invite me in.

(Jeremy stares at Elena but doesn't invite her in.)

Shane: Go ahead, Jeremy. Invite her in.

(Jeremy continues to stare at Elena and hesitates for a moment longer.)

Jeremy: You can come in.

(Elena enters the house. She stops in front of Jeremy and looks up at him. She gently touches his arm and walks past him, setting her bags on a counter. Jeremy looks down at his arm where she touched him and suddenly grabs the small wooden stake from his waistband and attempts to stake Elena. Elena reacts quickly and grabs him by the wrist.)

Bonnie: Jeremy!

(Elena twists Jeremy's arm around and places it behind his back. She also manages to take the stake from him and puts him in a chokehold. Jeremy struggles to release himself from her grip. Bonnie, Damon, and Shane all look on in surprise, although Elena clearly has him under control.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – LIBRARY**

(Stefan is sitting on a couch in the library, reading through some old papers. His phone goes off and he answers it.)

Stefan: Hey, sorry, I know I'm late.

**(**Caroline is on the other end, walking across the town square through the Winter Wonderland.)

Caroline: If I'm gonna be a friend in your time of need, then you to need to work on your punctuality. I'm in a crisis. Where are you?

Stefan: I'm at my house. Why? What's wrong?

Caroline: My boyfriend is a dumbass martyr. Wait, and why are you at your house? Aren't you trying to keep your distance from Elena?

Stefan: Well, she's not here anymore. Damon took Jeremy to the Gilbert lake house with Bonnie so I guess her house is safe for her again. Hey, listen, I got Klaus to tell me a little bit more about this Hunter's sword. You know that map in Jeremy's tattoo? The sword decodes it. It's literally the key to finding the cure.

Caroline: Klaus told you this?

Stefan: Yeah, why?

Caroline: And did he happen to hand over the sword for safekeeping?

Stefan: Uh, what do you think?

(Caroline sighs.)

Stefan: What's wrong?

Caroline: We need to get our hands on that sword. Like today. Tyler and his hybrids are taking out Klaus tonight.

**MYSTIC GRILL/WINTER WONDERLAND CHARITY EVENT**

(Outside in the Town Square, children are running around in the fake snow and starting snowball fights. Inside the Grill, Willow is admiring the postmodern snowflake Klaus painted. She seems to notice she is being watched and turns to see Klaus looking at her. He smiles at her and she turns to face him.)

Willow: Here to steal Tiny Tim's crutches?

Klaus: Dickens was a dark man. You would have liked him.

(Klaus walks around the table towards her, but Willow makes her way to the other side of the table so that they are still apart.) Caroline: Nice snowflake, by the way.

Klaus: Is my work really that literal?

Willow: I'm serious. There's something… lonely about it.

Klaus: I'm gonna take that as a compliment. Can I offer you some champagne? (Willow turns around and starts to walk away. Klaus pursues her.)

Willow: Can't. Too many adult prying eyes besides I don't Drink remember. (Willow turns around to face Klaus who has closed the gap between them.)

Klaus: Sorry Forgot How about a Soda or apple cider

Willow: Don't want to be a high school cautionary tale at the next town meeting.

Klaus: Well, then it's a good thing the high school part is nearly over. (They stare at each other for a brief moment.)

Willow: If we're going to be nice to each other, then I will need that glass of Cider.

(Klaus smiles and walks closer towards her.)

Klaus: Is that our thing? (Willow scoffs and rolls her eyes.)

Willow: How do we have a Thing we are Friends only aren't we"

Klaus: Allow me.

(Klaus smiles at her again and walks away to get them some Apple Cider when he sees a Beautiful Painting in front of the Bar and he stops to stare at it.)

Klaus:( Surprise) Is this your Painting Willow

Willow: Yeah I thought I could make a Contribution to the Charity too so I made this the Other day.

Klaus: Its Beautiful you are very talented We have so much in Common you and I

Willow: I guess so( They Stare at each other with Wonder)

(Caroline watches them. When she is positive that he can't see her, she takes out her phone and texts Stefan "He's here. Go.")

**KLAUS MANSION**

(Stefan rips off the handle from the vault and places it down. He opens up the vault and sees that the sword is no longer there. He seems frustrated.)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE/KLAUS MANSION**

(Stefan has apparently called Damon, who is still at the lake house, and they banter with each other over the phone.)

Damon: Well, he's not walking around with it. Check the rest of the house.

Stefan: I am. I haven't found anything.

Damon: Try the sock drawer. People leave the sketchiest stuff in sock drawers.

Stefan: I'm gonna need real ideas, Damon. (In Klaus' mansion, Stefan decides to continue his search and starts by opening up an old trunk.)

Damon: Here's two: Kill Tyler before he goes to Klaus or, since Klaus has suddenly become MVP in our relay race for the cure, tell him about the hybrids and he'll kill Tyler. (Stefan sees a bunch of handwritten letters littering the bottom of the trunk. None of them are addressed to Klaus which Stefan finds curious.)

Stefan: Nobody's killing Tyler.

(Stefan picks up one of the letters and becomes silent as he reads it.)

Damon: Hello? Stefan? (Stefan finally puts the letter down and talks to Damon again.)

Stefan: Look, I know it's a touchy subject, but do you know where Elena is today? (Damon looks incredibly guilty on the other end of the line.)

Damon: I think she's running around… trying to figure out how to deprogram Jeremy.

Stefan: How'd she take it last night? You telling her to stay away from you?

(Once again, Damon looks like he is feeling guilty, especially since Stefan appears to be very sympathetic towards him.)

Damon: Not well.

Stefan: You okay?

Damon: Peachy.

(There's a moment of silence between them which Damon breaks quickly.)

Damon: Gotta go. Bonnie has enlisted Dr. Evil in her plan and I have to thwart him.

(Damon quickly hangs up his phone.)

(Inside the lake house, Shane has started up the pendulum of a metronome which ticks slowly back and forth. There are also candles lit. Shane tightens some thick leather straps around Jeremy's wrist which ties Jeremy down into a chair. Jeremy has his eyes shut and appears to be in a trance. Bonnie and Elena sit next to each other and across from Jeremy.)

Shane: All Jeremy feels when he sees a vampire is a burning desire to kill them, even if consciously he doesn't want to. As in your case (he looks at Elena) it's his subconscious that's calling the shots.

Bonnie: Persuasion helps reverse your subconscious thoughts.

Shane: Think of it as kind of a conditioned response, right? See vampire, kill vampire. What I'm doing is creating kind of a middle step. It's like a detour, where his subconscious learns to recognize you as someone he loves, someone he wants to protect. And that gives him a choice. He can choose to take the detour instead of the conditioned response.

(Shane sits on the table next to Jeremy and speaks to Elena.)

Shane: Okay. Talk to him. He'll listen.

Elena: I'm not sure what to say.

Shane: You chose to do this here at your family's vacation house, right? So, maybe just start by telling him why.

(Elena nods.)

Elena: Every holiday, we came here. This place was family. And when mom and dad died, Jenna made us come here and we thought it was an awful idea, but it was like they were here with us.

(Jeremy opens his eyes and looks at Elena. Bonnie smiles and looks from Jeremy to Elena.)

Elena: They would have wanted us to stick together, Jer. To fight for each other, no matter what.

(Elena becomes silent and Jeremy continues to look at her.)

Shane: Jeremy, how do you feel about Elena right now?

(Elena looks at him, eagerly.)

Jeremy: She ruined our lives. She's not even my real sister. She's just the reason that everyone I've ever loved has died. She means nothing to me. I will kill her even if that means I die myself.

(Elena starts to get upset. Shane raps his knuckles against the wooden table which brings Jeremy out of his trance. He looks from Shane to Elena.)

Jeremy: Did it work?

(Bonnie, Shane, and Elena do not respond and look disappointed in the results of this hypnosis.)

**ALLEYWAY BY THE MYSTIC GRILL**

(Stefan is leaning against the wall in the alleyway. Caroline approaches him and he stands up to face her.)

Caroline: Hey.

Stefan: Hey.

Caroline: Did you find the sword?

Stefan: Nope.

Caroline: What are we gonna do now?

Stefan: Klaus is the only shot we have at finding the cure. We need him. Tyler has to call it off.

Tyler: Well, that's not gonna happen.

(Stefan turns around and looks at Tyler who has appeared on the stairway. Tyler looks at Caroline.)

Tyler: You told him?

(Tyler walks down the remaining steps towards Caroline and Stefan.)

Tyler: I've had twelve hybrids sworn to secrecy for a month. I have Hayley and a witch risking their lives and you're blabbing my plan to him?

(Stefan steps forward, closing the gap between him and Tyler.)

Stefan: Look, all I'm asking you for is a little bit of time, okay?

Tyler: How long? An hour? A day? Because every minute that goes by that we don't do this, they're at risk. You and Klaus already served one of them up for Jeremy to kill.

(Tyler looks over Stefan's shoulder at Caroline, who looks down shamefully. He looks back at Stefan.)

Tyler: I don't owe you anything.

(Tyler turns around and starts to walk away.)

Tyler: I'm taking him out.

(Stefan uses his super speed and moves in front of Tyler, frightening him.)

Stefan: I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that.

Caroline: Stefan.

Stefan: (looks at Caroline) I'm sorry but I can't.

Caroline: Stefan.

(Caroline is looking over Stefan's shoulder. Stefan turns around and sees a half dozen of the hybrids standing on the stairs behind him. Caroline turns around and sees the remaining hybrids in the alleyway, blocking any means of escape.)

Tyler: Sorry man, but you don't have a choice.

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Elena is sitting on the edge of the dock by the lake, still looking upset about what Jeremy said. Damon approaches her with a bottle of bourbon in hand.)

Damon: You're not allowed to feel this sorry for yourself unless you're sitting on a bar stool.

(Damon sits down in a position so that he is facing her. He uncorks the bottle of bourbon.)

Damon: Fortunately, I travel with the bar.

Elena: It didn't work. I shouldn't have put so much hope into reprogramming someone's mind. If it were that easy, then you and I wouldn't be in this situation.

(She looks over at him and they stare at each other for a moment. Elena is clearly looking for confirmation from Damon.)

Elena: Right? (sighs) Last time I was here, I was so completely in love with Stefan. Now, it's barely a memory. Is that the sire bond? Or just that I'm so happy to be here with you?

(Elena places her hand on Damon's cheek. Damon looks as if he feels uncomfortable about this situation. Elena looks at him but he only glances at her.)

Damon: Maybe there's something else they can try.

(Elena takes her hand away from his cheek. Damon gets up and walks back into the house, leaving Elena alone.)

**LOCKWOOD CELLAR**

(Tyler takes a chain from on top of a box.)

Caroline: Tyler!

Tyler: Keep them down here until we're ready to bring Klaus in. (He drops the chains in front of Kim.) Use these if you have to.

(Stefan walks closer to Tyler.)

Stefan: Come on, Tyler, this is bigger than you. It's about more than revenge for us.

(Tyler closes the gap between them.)

Tyler: I know what it's about for you, Stefan. It's about the cure. You know what happens to a hybrid when he's cured of being a vampire? We go back to being werewolves; turning on every full moon. We could give a rat's ass about the cure.

(Tyler walks past Stefan. Caroline steps forward towards Tyler.)

Caroline: Tyler, come on.

Tyler: I needed you on my side, Care. That's all I wanted.

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Jeremy is inside, sitting on the sofa, looking through old family photos. Bonnie walks into the room.)

Bonnie: You okay? Shane wants to try again.

(Jeremy gets up and looks at her. Damon enters the room.)

Damon: Survey says: Ehhh. Professor Shane has been dipping into the magical herbs a little too much; if he thinks using a vampire to suppress the need to kill another one is gonna work on a Hunter. It's like dangling a cheeseburger in front of someone on a master cleanse. Just find someone else to attach your warm and fuzzy detour feelings to.

(Over the course of Damon's little speech, he has glanced at Bonnie numerous times, clearly hinting to Jeremy who he should place his feelings on.)

Damon: Gee, I wonder who that could be.

(Jeremy looks at Bonnie.)

Jeremy: You.

(Bonnie looks at him, slightly shocked.)

Jeremy: I feel that way about you.

(Bonnie looks at him with a small smile. Jeremy can't help but grin as well.)

Damon: Well, this isn't awkward at all. I'll be anywhere else.

(Bonnie sighs deeply as Damon leaves the room. Jeremy and Bonnie stand in the room together alone with awkward vibes coming off of them.)

(Outside, Elena is standing at the end of the dock, wrapped in a blanket. Shane walks up to her and stands beside her.)

Shane: It was good thinking using Bonnie as Jeremy's emotional touch zone. Damon is very intuitive. Yeah, Bonnie told me about your relationship with him. I don't mean to pry, obviously.

Elena: It's complicated.

Shane: Uh huh.

Elena: Any ideas how to hypnotize me out of it?

Shane: You know, in all my world travels, the one spell that I've never found is how to break somebody from loving too much. Trust me, I've looked.

(Elena looks at him, confused, which urges Shane to explain.)

Shane: My wife and son died. I was just – I was trying to figure out a way not to miss them.

(Elena's compassion begins to show when she looks upset. Suddenly, Damon starts to walk towards them with an axe in hand.)

Damon: If your hypno herbs work, we should be singing "Kumbaya" around the fire by dinner.

(Damon stops and stands a few feet away from Elena and Shane, holding up the axe.)

Damon: So now, tell me why I'm not killing you?

(Elena takes a step towards Damon.)

Elena: Damon.

Damon: I'm serious. Why are you after the vampire cure?

(Shane walks forward a few steps towards Damon, not taking his eyes off him.)

Shane: I didn't say I was looking for the cure, but I can tell you where to find it.

(Damon closes the gap between them.)

Damon: Klaus' sword will tell us where to find it.

Shane: The sword will lead you there, sure, but so can I.

Elena: What? How?

(Shane continues to look at Damon.)

Shane: Cause I've already been there.

(Elena and Damon look at each other, shocked.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

(Carol Lockwood and April are walking through the Winter Wonderland event together.)

Carol: Instruct the guests to drop their donations at the gift tree in the Grill.

April: Yes ma'am.

(Carol stops and hands April a checklist of some kind.)

Carol: Excuse me.

(Carol sees Tyler walking her way.)

Carol: There you are!

(Carol grabs two glasses of champagne off a tray carried by a waitress. She hands one to Tyler.)

Carol: Quick. A toast before people can judge us.

(Tyler holds his glass up and Carol clinks hers to his. They take a sip, but Carol notices that her son's face expresses concern.)

Carol: What's wrong?

(Carol and Tyler are sitting on a bench together, away from the hullabaloo of the party. Tyler has explained his plan to entrap Klaus' essence in his body and then bury himself. Carol is silent.)

Tyler: Please say something.

Carol: But you'll miss graduation. Which I guess is a ridiculous thing to worry about.

Tyler: I'm their Alpha. They're looking to me to help them.

(Carol looks down and nods sadly.)

Carol: You do what you have to do, Tyler.

(Tyler looks surprised.)

Carol: Well, don't look so shocked, I'm trying to channel your father. He'd be proud of you, you know? You're a leader of people just like he was.

Tyler: Thank you, Mom.

(Carol smiles at him and although she is sad of the prospect of never seeing her son again, she wraps her arms around him, embracing him for what could be the last time.)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(In the living area, Elena and Shane sit across from each other, while Damon stands next to the couch Elena is sitting on. Shane unwraps an old rock from a cloth.)

Damon: It's a rock.

Shane: It's not just any rock.

Damon: Hm, so is this that silly little wives tale that you told at the occult exhibit?

(Damon walks over to the bar behind the couch and grabs a bottle of alcohol.)

Shane: Right, long story short. Once upon a time, there was a witch named Silas who loved a girl, who wanted to be with her forever, so he and his best friend, another witch, made an immortality spell and then Silas' best friend witch got jealous and killed Silas' girl before he had a chance to make her immortal. Well, cursed to an eternity without his one true love, Silas finds a way to reverse the immortality spell and then before he has the chance to take it, his former friend buries him underground, leaving him and the cure to rot.

Elena: So, it's a cure for immortality?

Shane: Human blood is the life force of an immortal. No more immortality, no more need to feed on blood, you dig up Silas and you've got your cure.

(Elena and Damon look at Shane, still soaking in this new information.)

**LOCKWOOD CELLAR**

(The hybrids are still keeping Caroline and Stefan prisoner in the cellar.)

Caroline: Ugh, this is ridiculous. We are not hostages!

Kim: Sure you are, sweetie. (Caroline glares at her and super speeds to stand right in front of her. Caroline and Kim stare each other down. Stefan's phone starts to ring. The other hybrids start to advance on him.)

Stefan: Relax. (They all stop in their tracks.)

Stefan: It's my brother. (He answers the phone.) What's up?

Damon: Don't ask how or why or who, but I just found the answer to your Tyler problem. (Stefan listens to the rest of what Damon has to say which is not heard by us.)

Stefan: You're kidding. (Stefan hangs up his phone and looks at Caroline.)

Stefan: We don't need the sword.

(Caroline subtly raises her eyebrows at this revealing information.)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(The Hunter's mark that Jeremy had drawn of Connor's tattoo is lying on the table and Shane is telling Elena and Jeremy what parts of the mark mean.)

Shane: This is the mark of the Brotherhood of the Five.

(He points to the part of the tattoo on the hand.)

Shane: And up the arm, you have the murder of a girl by a witch. The symbols in the vines are your map, which obviously, you no longer need. When this mark is complete, it will contain the spell that we need to dig up Silas.

Damon: And where'd you say he was buried? Oh, I forgot, you didn't.

Shane: You've threatened to kill me, what, like three times already this week.

Damon: (nods) Yeah.

Shane: The location is how I'm gonna survive your bad moods.

Elena: And what's in it for you? If not the cure, then what?

Shane: I'm in this for Silas, alright, up until this point he's only been myth.

Damon: So write a thesis.

Shane: Would you rather be the guy who writes about Noah's Ark or the one who sails it down the Hudson River?

(Shane stands up and folds the paper with the Hunter's mark drawing. Damon has his hand out for the drawing and he looks down at Elena as Shane places the drawing into his open hand.)

Damon: I'm not buying it.

Shane: You don't have to buy anything. (To Elena) You just have to believe that I can fix your brother. And when his Hunter's mark is complete, I'm gonna take you to the cure.

(Shane walks out of the room.)

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Caroline walks into the bathroom with Tyler and Hayley following her in. Caroline turns and looks at them.)

Tyler: How the hell did you even get out?

Caroline: I got out because even your idiot hybrids recognize the stupidity of your Alpha hybrid murder plan.

Tyler: I'm not going to fight with you anymore, Caroline.

Caroline: Oh, we're going to do plenty of fighting, the second that you shove Klaus into someone else's body.

Tyler: We've been through this; I don't have anyone else's body.

Caroline: Yeah, well I do.

Hayley: What? Who?

Caroline: Klaus' sister, Rebekah.

(Hayley and Tyler look at her curiously.)

Caroline: She's got a dagger in her. Stefan's been hiding her coffin in the tunnels. We dump Klaus into her body, bury her, we just killed two Original birds with one stone.

(Tyler continues to stare at Caroline and starts to smile at her brilliant idea.)

Hayley: It's too late to change the plan.

(Tyler and Caroline look at her for a moment. Tyler turns back and faces Caroline.)

Tyler: Call Bonnie.

(Caroline smiles.)

Tyler: Make sure it will work.

Hayley: Tyler!

(Tyler turns around and looks at Hayley.)

Tyler: It's a brilliant plan, Hayley.

(He looks back at Caroline.)

Tyler: You're a genius. I love you.

(He grabs her face in his hands and kisses her. Caroline giggles and kisses him back.)

Caroline: I love you. Even when I hate you.

(Hayley turns around and pulls out her phone. She sends a text to Shane saying "We have a problem" and another one saying "The plan is falling apart." Behind her, Caroline continues to giggle gleefully.) Tyler: I got to go find my mom. Let her know I might actually graduate. (Tyler exits the bathroom.)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Shane has received Hayley's text and looks at it. Shane texts her back the message "Fix it." He walks down the stairs and over towards Jeremy and Bonnie. Bonnie has hypnotized Jeremy again who has his eyes shut.) Shane: How's it going? Bonnie: I think we're making progress. (Bonnie's phone starts to ring and she picks it up.) Bonnie: Caroline, hey.

**(The shots alternate between Caroline in the bathroom and Bonnie at the lakehouse.)**

Caroline: Bonnie, I need you to think fast. I know that the daggers don't work on Klaus but what if we put his essence into Rebekah? It'll work, right? Say it'll work!

(Bonnie gets up and walks off so she can hear Caroline better.)

Bonnie: Slow down, slow down, what – what's happening?

Caroline: Just, come on, Bonnie. Will it work?

(Hayley looks down at her phone and reads the text Shane has just sent her.)

Bonnie: Yeah, I don't see why not.

Caroline: Uh, Bonnie Bennett, I love you!

Bonnie: Do you need my help? I can leave Elena here with Jeremy.

Caroline: Elena? She's there too?

Bonnie: Yeah, she came with Damon. Who's being slightly less horrible than usual. (Caroline is clearly angered by the fact that Elena and Damon are still with each other.)

Caroline: You know what? I can't deal with this right now. (Caroline hangs up on Bonnie. She turns and sees Hayley in front of the door.)

Caroline: She said it would work.

Hayley: I gathered. Congratulations.

Caroline: Thank you. (Caroline walks towards the door and Hayley steps aside. Before Caroline can open the door, Hayley grabs her from behind and snaps her neck, temporarily killing Caroline. Caroline falls to the floor.)

Hayley: My pleasure.

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Elena pulls out a box of holiday decorations from a closet. Damon is sitting on a table. Elena places the box on a table.)

Elena: Jer and I should take these decorations home with us. We could use the holiday cheer.

Damon: Look at you, suddenly poly optimist.

Elena: I think Shane's gonna get us through this. I trust him.

(Damon scoffs, shakes his head, and rolls his eyes.)

Elena: But you clearly don't.

Damon: Maybe because I think he blew up twelve people at the Young farm.

Elena: What?

Damon: Little tip, Professor, I heard you before you even took your first step.

(Shane is standing in the doorway behind Damon.)

Shane: I see we're back to the false accusation part of our relationship.

Elena: (to Shane) What is he talking about?

Shane: Damon discovered that I was in contact with Pastor Young prior to the explosion at the Young farm.

(Shane walks into the room over towards Elena, talking directly to her.)

Shane: And the Pastor was severely depressed. He had lost his wife to cancer and he sought me out for a little supernatural assistance. I tried to help but he was too far gone. I just – I never expected that he would take eleven innocents with him.

(Jeremy and Bonnie suddenly enter the room. They all look at them.)

Jeremy: Elena.

(Damon gets up and walks closer to them. Jeremy has a stake in his hand.)

Jeremy: (to Damon) It's okay. I think we've got this.

(Bonnie walks towards Elena.)

Bonnie: Elena, don't move, okay? No matter what.

(Elena sees the stake in Jeremy's hand and seems nervous.)

Shane: Jeremy, remember the detour. Choose the right path.

(Jeremy nods and starts to walk towards Elena. Damon intercepts him, blocking his way. Jeremy looks over at Bonnie who smiles at him. Jeremy looks down at the stake, then holds it up for Damon to take. Damon takes it from him and lets him walk over to Elena. Jeremy stops in front of Elena and wraps his arms around her. Elena wraps her arms back around him and smiles. Bonnie smiles at them as well. Shane looks at them for a moment then takes his phone out of his pocket. Hayley has sent him a text saying "I'll fix it. You'll get your twelve.")

**TOWN SQUARE – WINTER WONDERLAND EVENT**

(Hayley is talking to Klaus in the middle of the square Willow is standing near The Fountain . Stefan sees the pair and watches them. Hayley walks off, leaving Klaus alone. Stefan walks up to him.)

Klaus: She doesn't like me much. Where have you been all day?

Stefan: I've been around.

Klaus: I'm not interested in vagary, Stefan. You've been dodgy and Caroline's been lovely, which I've come to recognize as a tool of distraction, now, do you have something to share with me or should I compel it out of you?

Stefan: I broke into your safe to look for the sword.

Klaus: Why?

Stefan: Because I don't trust you.

Klaus: I showed you the sword. I explained its value. I've been on your side the entire time. What do you want from me? A secret brotherhood handshake?

Stefan: I found the letters. You've had a few pen pals over the centuries. (Klaus smiles smugly at him.)

Klaus: Well, is keeping my victims' letters really so different from writing their names on a wall? Like you did, Ripper. (Stefan doesn't respond. Klaus smiles even more smugly now. Suddenly, Klaus sees Adrian over Stefan's shoulder and his face falls. He walks past Stefan and towards him but stops midway. He turns back to talk to Stefan.)

Klaus: Loneliness, Stefan.

(Stefan turns around and faces him.)

Klaus: That's why you and I memorialize our dead. There's the briefest of moments before we kill where we literally hold their life in our hands and then we rip it away. And we're left with nothing. So, gathering other peoples' letters or writing their names on a wall is a reminder that in the end we're left infinitely and utterly alone.

(Klaus turns and walks off with Adrian as Stefan watches them go Willow walks over to him.)

Willow: Whats going on Stefan I feel a lot of Sadness and Anger from Klaus what have you guys done this time.

Stefan:( Turning around to Face her) Tyler is planning on Killing Klaus or at least getting rid of him I've been trying to get him to stop all day but he is not listening and you said that Klaus is feeling Sad and Angery what do you mean.

Willow: When you guys were talking something of what you said Upset him for some reason so what was it.

Stefan: I told him I didn't trust him about the sword and the cure.

Willow: even though Klaus done some terrible things we are No different We do nothing but Judge him and we don't even try to learn Why he is the way he is.

Stefan: Yeah your right but it still doesn't excues him for the suffer of others and what he has done to me and Elena.

Willow: I just feel sorry for him that he has Nobody to stand by him to keep him from being the way he is.

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(April enters the restroom and tries to open up the stall door, but it is jammed.)

April: Oh, sorry.

(April then seems to worry that something might be wrong in the stall and knocks gently.)

April: Oh, hello, are you okay? Um…

(April opens the door of the stall and Caroline's body falls to the ground. April backs away in shock.)

April: Oh my gosh!

(April kneels down next to her body and shakes her by the shoulders.)

April: Caroline!

(April places her fingers on her neck, trying to find a pulse, but can't seem to find one. She starts to panic.)

April: Somebody help! Help!

(April quickly gets up and frantically tries to leave the bathroom, but Caroline finally awakens from the dead and uses her super speed to get in front of the door before April can leave.)

April: Holy crap!

Caroline: Have you seen Hayley?

(April turns around and looks down where Caroline used to be, clearly confused. Caroline acts very nonchalant about the whole thing and takes out her phone to call Stefan. April looks back at Caroline.)

April: You didn't have a pulse. You were dead.

(Caroline glances at her but does not help April calm down by any means. In fact, she was probably about to make it worse.)

Caroline: Stefan, it's me. That little werewolf slut has lost her mind. Go to the Lockwood Cellar and make sure that Rebekah's body is still there. I'm gonna find Tyler. Hayley is trying to screw this up.

(Caroline hangs up her phone and looks at April with a smile. She walks over to her and gently grabs her shoulders. April looks at her, completely horrified. Caroline starts to compel her.)

Caroline: Forget everything you just saw and heard. You are Miss Mystic Falls and you have duties to fulfill.

April: (still scared) Okay.

(April quickly walks out of the restroom, not looking at Caroline as she leaves. Caroline breathes a sigh of relief. When Caroline walks out of the restroom, Matt intercepts her.)

Matt: There you are. Stefan's been looking for you. Adrian's leading Klaus to the Cellar.

Caroline: How come the only time April Young isn't following you around like a lost puppy is when I'm lying dead with a broken neck?

(Caroline pulls her phone out and looks down at it.)

Matt: April saw you?

Caroline: Yeah, it's okay, I compelled her.

Matt: No, she's – she's wearing Jeremy's vervain bracelet.

(Caroline looks up at him, horrified.)

Matt: She can't be compelled.

**TOWN SQUARE**

(Tyler is on the phone and leaving a voice message for his mom.)

Tyler: Hey mom, I don't see you. Things have changed, it's gonna be fine.

(Tyler sees Hayley walking through the crowd.)

Tyler: I'll be back later. I'll pick you up.

(He hangs up and walks over to Hayley.)

Tyler: What are you doing here? You're supposed to be taking the witch to the Cellar.

Hayley: There is no witch, Tyler.

Tyler: What?

Hayley: I made it up.

**THE WOODS**

(Kim and the other hybrids are waiting in the woods.)

Kim: Where the hell is the witch? Adrian should be here any minute.

(There is a rushing noise that all the hybrids hear. They turn around and see Adrian.)

Adrian: Kim.

(Suddenly, Adrian's heart is torn from his body.)

Kim: No!

**TOWN SQUARE**

Hayley: I never intended for you to put Klaus down. I needed him for the sacrifice.

Tyler: The what?

**THE WOODS**

(Adrian falls down on his knees. Klaus stands behind him holding out his bloody heart in his hand. He drops it on the floor. His face shows nothing but pure rage. He has the Hunter's sword in his hand and begins to rush at the hybrids, slashing at them with the sword.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

Hayley: I don't know how to explain it, but I made a deal with someone who can help me find my family.

Tyler: What are you talking about? What kind of deal?

Hayley: There needed to be twelve for the sacrifice, Tyler.

**THE WOODS**

(Klaus has slashed at one of the hybrids who falls to the ground, dead. Another hybrid jumps at him, ready to attack him, but Klaus slices her head off with the sword.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

Tyler: Twelve what?

**THE WOODS**

(Klaus slashes at another hybrid's throat with the sword.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

Hayley: I'm sorry.

**THE WOODS**

(Klaus throws the sword at another hybrid and pinning him to a tree.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

Tyler: Hayley, what did you do?

**THE WOODS**

(Klaus rips the hybrid's, that is pinned to the tree, heart out of his chest.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

Hayley: If you run now, you might make it out alive.

(Tyler looks at her with a mixture of horror and shock.)

**THE WOODS**

(Klaus takes the sword out of the now dead hybrid's chest and slashes the throat of another one of his hybrids.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

(Tyler continues to stare at Hayley while he backs away. He turns around and dashes through the crowd.)

**THE WOODS**

(Klaus stands in the midst of all the dead hybrids. He breathes heavily and has blood splashed across the front of his shirt. He hears Kim crying and hiding down in the Lockwood Cellar. He proceeds to follow her. Kim trips down the remaining stairs and looks up from the floor as Klaus walks down towards her. She attempts to back away from him. She gets up and grabs the bars of the Cellar, trying to find a way out as she continues to sob. She turns and looks at Klaus.)

Klaus: Where is Tyler Lockwood?

(Kim continues to cry, but does not answer. Klaus points the sword at her throat and moves closer towards her.)

Klaus: You'd do well to answer me, love.

(Klaus places the blade against her throat and screams in her face.)

Klaus: Where is he?!

Kim: I don't know.

Klaus: Wrong answer.

(Klaus pushes the blade into her throat. Kim gasps for air, but Klaus successfully presses the blade through her neck and chops her head off. He turns around and starts to walk off. His face is not full of rage anymore but seemingly full of sadness and loneliness. He breathes out a sigh.)

Willow feeling so much Rage, Fear and so Much Death falls to her Knees grasping her Heart trying to Stop the Pain she begins to Sob as she feels all the Hybrids death realizing that everything was set up making where all of them would be sacrificed she cryies hard and sinks to the ground)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Jeremy, Bonnie, and Elena are rummaging through the boxes of holiday decorations. Jeremy pulls out a string of mistletoe.)

Jeremy: Hey, check this out.

Elena: Jenna used that to make out with Logan Fell.

(Elena looks out onto the deck where Damon is sitting on the railing. She smiles at him and waves him to come in. Damon smiles at her but looks away. Elena grabs the strand of mistletoe and walks out to him instead.)

Elena: Of all the drama, you're missing the actual fun part.

(Elena holds the mistletoe over her head and Damon looks up at it.)

Damon: Elena, we can't. I can't.

(Elena lowers the mistletoe and looks at him.)

Elena: Damon, you can't keep telling me that this isn't real. I know how I feel and that you feel it too, so stop fighting it.

(Damon doesn't respond but looks into the house at Bonnie and Jeremy.)

Damon: It's good to see you like that. All normal with your brother. I want that again for you.

(Damon stands up.)

Damon: Christmas was always mine and Stefan's favorite holiday when we were kids. Not that I've celebrated it since. I kind of miss that.

Elena: You're thinking about how upset he'll be when he finds out that you and I are together.

Damon: I've been lying to him all day.

Elena: No, you were helping me with Jeremy.

Damon: The point is not what I was doing. The point is that I'm here with you. I was supposed to invoke the sire bond, Elena, send you away. I was supposed to do the right thing by you and the right thing by my brother. Which is what I'm gonna do right now.

(Elena frowns at him. Damon begins to invoke the sire bond.)

Damon: You're gonna go home.

Elena: What? No, Damon.

Damon: I'm gonna stay here with Jeremy. I'm gonna help him complete the mark. I'll teach him how to hunt, I'll protect him, and we'll kill vampires without you.

Elena: Damon, please.

Damon: I'm setting you free, Elena. This is what I want. This is what will make me happy.

(Elena looks at him with tears in her eyes.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Caroline walks into the parlor where Stefan is sitting on the sofa.)

Caroline: Matt can't find April. I can't reach Tyler. This is a disaster.

(Caroline sits down on the sofa across from Stefan. Stefan remains silent and Caroline looks at him.)

Caroline: Is this you in crisis mode? Cause it's a lot more subtle than mine.

Stefan: You know I thought I'd be happier watching Klaus get led away to his slaughter, but for some reason I can't help but feel kind of guilty.

Caroline: Yeah, you and me both. All day I've been trying to remind myself of all the horrible things he's done.

Stefan: See that's the thing, we've all done horrible things.

(Stefan gets up and stands next to the sofa, looking at Caroline.)

Stefan: And I'm sitting here, trying to figure out what makes us any better than him. And I think it's just that, we have family we can trust.

Caroline: Yeah, you're right, Stefan. Trust is everything. Have you heard from Damon?

Stefan: Yeah, he's still with Jeremy at the lake house.

Caroline: Did he happen to mention where Elena was?

(Caroline avoids his gaze until the end of the question, when she glances up at him. Stefan looks at her with a questioning gaze. He moves closer towards her.)

Stefan: Wait, why are you – why are you asking me this?

(Caroline looks up at him with a very meaningful look, but doesn't say anything. Stefan can guess as much from the look she is giving him though. He sits back down the couch.)

Stefan: They're together, aren't they?

(Stefan looks incredibly upset. Caroline also looks guilty and sad for Stefan.)

Stefan: How together are they?

(Caroline looks away and doesn't answer.)

Stefan: Caroline, tell me. How together are they?

(Caroline looks down at the ground and licks her lips nervously. She still doesn't respond, but Stefan finally realizes just how together Damon and Elena are.)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Jeremy opens Bonnie's car door for her. They look at each other with a smile.)

Jeremy: Thank you.

(Bonnie hugs Jeremy. Jeremy embraces her back and closes her eyes as he holds her. Elena and Damon exit the house together. Jeremy and Bonnie pull apart and Jeremy smiles at her. Bonnie gets in the car and Jeremy closes the door for her. Jeremy walks back towards the house and waves goodbye to Elena. Elena smiles at him and turns to look at Damon as Jeremy walks in the house.)

Elena: I was ready to fight you on this, but suddenly every part of my body is telling me that I need to get in this car and leave you.

Damon: So do it.

(Elena looks up at him for a moment then gently kisses Damon's lips. Damon opens the passenger side door for her and Elena gets in.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Caroline is still sitting on the sofa, watching Stefan, who has stood back up and knocks over one of the chess pieces on the chess board gently. But suddenly, he knocks the board off the table with such force that it flies halfway across the room. He proceeds to knock the end table and it flies across the room as well. Caroline closes her eyes and starts to cry. Stefan breathes heavily as he stares blankly at nothing.)

**THE WOODS**

(Tyler walks into the small clearing where all of the dead hybrids lie. He looks around at all of his dead friends with sadness.)

**LOCKWOOD CELLAR**

(Down in the cellar, Tyler sees Kim's dead body. He walks out of the cellar, clearly in anguish. He does not notice that April is hiding behind the wall. She is in tears and looks very frightened. She hears Tyler leave and walks out from behind the wall. She approaches the coffin lying in the middle of the cellar and opens it. She sees Rebekah daggered in the coffin and April starts to gasp for air.)

**TOWN SQUARE**

(Carol Lockwood is leaving a voice message for Tyler.)

Carol: Tyler, honey, you're supposed to be my sober cab. I think I drank half the party.

(Carol hangs up her phone and sits down on the edge of a stone fountain. She puts her champagne glass down next to her and takes her shawl off. Klaus approaches her.)

Klaus: Good evening, Carol. You're looking for Tyler. I'd like to have a word with him myself.

(Klaus is still covered in the blood of the hybrids and has a bottle of champagne clutched in one of his hands. Carol looks up at him, terrified.)

Carol: Klaus, please, don't hurt him. He's my son. He's all I have.

Klaus: And you're all he has. There's a beautiful symmetry to that, don't you think?

(Klaus grabs Carol by the back of the neck. Carol screams, but Klaus dunks her head into the water surrounding the fountain. Carol struggles to fight Klaus off but he continues to hold her head under. Finally, Carol takes her last breath and the life leaves her eyes. Klaus takes his hand off her neck and walks away, leaving Carol's body in the fountain.)

Willow:( Runs up to Klaus as he is Leaving) Wait what happen to you Klaus

Klaus:( Sadness and Lonelyness in his eyes) Tyler has Unsired all of the Hybrids and had them ready to Kill me I had No Choice but to Kill them and when I find Tyler I will do the same to him( Looking at Willow with curious) So are you here to condamn me for all the things I did even Killed Tylers Mom.

Willow:( Shocked at him Killing Carol but a Little upset) I don't like that you killed Carol for she didn't need to die but What Tyler did he had it coming he was so set in his ways about Killing you I tryied to reason with him even Caroline but he wouldn't listen I am So Sorry you lost so Much Klaus believe I felt what you did.

Klaus:( Touched but still Angry and Hurt) At least you Care about me and you shouldn't have to had to feel what went on here but It Had to be done I am sorry but I'm not in the best Shape to be talking to you at the Moment I will see you later.

Willow watching him leave then sighs as she leaves behind him everything has just turned Worse for Tyler and he doesn't even realized it yet.


	10. After School Special

**After School Special**

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL **

(A memorial service for Carol Lockwood in the gym of the high school.)

Liz: Carol Lockwood always said that togetherness in times of tragedy leads to healing, that one community is stronger than a thousand of its members. But how does a community stay strong after losing its leader? And Carol was so much more than a leader; she was an open-minded friend and a concerned mother, taken from us too soon by a terrible accident.

(Camera focuses on Tyler)

Tyler: Screw this.

Caroline: What? Tyler? Tyler?

(Tyler stands up and leaves the gym)

Liz: Please join me in observing a minute silence in her memory.

(Everyone puts their heads down for the minute of silence. Elena looks over to the other side of the gym and sees Rebekah. She closes her eyes and looks over again, but finds Rebekah isn't there anymore.)

Bonnie: Are you okay?

Elena: Be right back.

(Elena stands up and leaves the gym.)

Liz: Thank you so much. In the wake of this tragedy, the town has selected an interim mayor. Many of you may already know him. Please welcome Mr. Rudy Hopkins.

Rudy: Thank you so much, Sheriff. Carol Lockwood put this town first...

**SCHOOL HALLWAY**

(Elena is walking down the hallway and stops when she hears someone crying, she turns around the corner and finds April .)

Elena: April, what's wrong?

April: Nothing. I'm fine.

Elena: But you're crying?

April: It's just the whole mayor thing, you know. It's bringing stuff up about my dad.

(Elena nods.)

April: And I know you're a vampire.

(Elena looks shocked)

Elena: Wait, what?

(Rebekah comes out of nowhere and snaps Elena's neck.)

April: Was that necessary?

Rebekah: No, but it was fun.

(Rebekah smiles)

(All the students are coming out of the gym. Caroline is walking through the crowd talking on her phone. The shots alternate between Caroline at the school and Stefan at the Grill.)

Caroline: Hey, you just missed the mandatory school assembly.

Stefan: Well, that's because I'm at a mandatory all-day drinking party.

Caroline: Seriously? You decided to go on a ripper bender now?

Stefan: My brother slept with Elena. It kinda puts a damper on things.

Caroline: First of all, you weren't supposed to know that, and second of all, Tyler is already spiraling, and he gets top priority.

Stefan: His mother just died. What do you expect?

Caroline: I'm his girlfriend. I expect him to talk to me. Instead, he's all angry, and it doesn't help that everyone keeps referring to his mother's death as an accident, which is just a really polite way of saying she was drunk.

Stefan: You think Klaus killed her?

Caroline: Hmm, I don't think she drowned in her martini glass. Just, get it together. I can't do it alone.

(Caroline hangs up)

**THE LIBRARY**

(Elena is leaning against a bookshelf, she looks around and then gets up. April walks in.)

April: The assembly is over.

Elena: What the hell is going on?

April: The school will be empty soon... How many times did you compel me?

(Elena looks at her)

April: Don't... don't lie. Rebekah says you lie.

Elena: Rebekah isn't who you think she is, : What? She's not a thousand-year-old Original vampire?

Elena: Listen, we can figure this out, but we have to get out of here.

(Elena pulls April with her, they turn a corner and Rebekah is standing there .)

Rebekah: Sorry, not allowed.

(Rebekah walks up to Elena, she compels her.)

Rebekah: Why don't you take a seat? The rest of the class will be here shortly.( Hearing the Library door Open Willow is coming in to Put some books back in one of the shelves but she finds her way Blocked by Rebekah) Well Hello Little Mage Long time No see I am afraid Studying is out of the Question right now( Compelling her) Please Have a seat the rest will be here shortly.

(Willow doing what she was compelled to do she takes a seat at one of the tables feeling confused at Why is she being forced to stay)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Matt is helping Jeremy to train, Damon is out on the dock on his phone, his listening to his voice mail .)

Elena: _Hey, it's me. Look, I know why you sent me away. You think what I'm feeling for you is because of the sire bond. But I hate not being near you. And I_—

(Damon stops the voice mail and walks towards Jeremy and Matt .)

Jeremy: (to Matt) All right, go ahead. Make a move.

Matt: I drove up here to be your wingman, not kick your ass.

(Jeremy flips Matt over.)

Matt: Okay I get it, I get it. You're a badass.

Jeremy: Did you see that?

Damon: You couldn't miss it. It was in slow motion.

Jeremy: Then teach me something useful. We've been here for days, and so far, all you've done is bark orders.

(Damon looks at Jeremy.)

Damon: Okay.

(He grabs on the stakes that are on the table, he throws it to Jeremy .)

Damon: Take a seat at the bench, quarterback. Kid wants a shot at the title.

Matt: Jeremy, you're not ready for this.

(Jeremy runs towards Damon. Damon grabs Jeremy by the arm and grabs his neck.)

Damon: Now, all I have to do is apply a little pressure on your jaw.

(A pizza delivery car drives up.)

Damon: Really? Again?

(Jeremy taps Damon's arm to let him go.)

Pizza Girl: Double pepperoni, three days in a row. You guys eat anything else?

(Damon comes up behind her.)

Damon: Why? Are you offering?

(Damon takes the pizza and gives her money.)

Damon: That's something extra to cut off the pizza pipeline for a couple a days. No matter how much they beg, don't come back.

Pizza Girl: Sorry, guys.

(The girl leaves.)

Jeremy: What? You're going to starve us now?

Damon: If that's what it takes to make you into a hunter. Now, run around the lake... twice.

(Looks at Matt)

Damon: Keep him company.

Matt: I don't have to listen to you.

Damon: You do if you want to eat.

(Matt takes off running. Damon listens to the end of the voice message from Elena.)

Elena: —_being near you, and I miss you, Damon. I wish you would just let me come to you._

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(Stefan's phone rings; he looks at his phone and it says 'Unknown Caller'. He answers it irritably.)

Stefan: What?

Rebekah: Guess who? I'm back, dagger-free, and I'm holding Elena hostage at the high school. Just thought you should know.

Stefan: Who the hell was dumb enough to pull that dagger out of you?

Rebekah: I'll be asking the questions today. See you soon.

(Rebekah hangs up, Stefan downs what's left of his drink and calls Caroline.)

Caroline: I'm only ready to talk to you if you're ready to rejoin civilization.

Stefan: How would you like to drive the white oak stake through Rebekah's heart?

Caroline: If it means that you're not drinking your way through the Mystic Grill, sure.

(Stefan walks out of Mystic Grill, and the camera pans onto Liz and the new mayor.)

Liz: So, first speech under your belt. Now for the fun part. Welcome to the world of careful cover-ups. We've ruled Carol's death as head trama from a fall—that's the official autopsy.

Rudy: She did not go gently, did she? Any leads?

Liz: We have ideas.

Rudy: Let me guess: sharp teeth and bad table manners?

Liz: You sure you want this? I mean, six people were offered this job before you. They all said no for a reason.

Rudy: I'm saying 'yes' for a reason, and my reason just walked in.

(Bonnie walks in)

Liz: I'll let you know what we find.

Rudy: Thank you, Sheriff.

(Liz gets up.)

Bonnie: Hey, Sheriff.

(Bonnie sits down at the table.)

Bonnie: Hey, dad.

Rudy: Hey.

Bonnie: So... Far cry from being a traveling pharmaceutical rep.

Rudy: I noticed a few of your friends missing from the assembly. So much for mandatory, I guess, huh?

Bonnie: Dad, stop. You can't come in here and start making rules.

Rudy: I think this town could use a few more rules.

Bonnie: You're forgetting I can help protect the town.

Rudy: I'm well aware of your gifts, Bonnie. But don't forget I'm your father. That means _I_ get to protect _you_.

**SCHOOL HALLWAY**

(Caroline is walking down the hallway with the white oak stake in her hand. She looks in a classroom for Rebekah. She texts Stefan "2nd floor clear..." She hears a noise and turns around. Stefan is walking along another hallway and gets her text. He looks in another classroom. He hears a noise and looks towards the end of the hallway and texts Caroline "1st floor. I distract her. You stake her." but is interrupted when Rebekah shows up.)

Rebekah: Hello, Stefan.

(He puts his phone in his pocket.)

Stefan: I'm here. What do you want?

Rebekah: The same thing I wanted when you helped Niklaus dagger me.

Stefan: The cure.

(Rebekah pushes him against the lockers, Stefan grabs her and pushes her against the lockers.)

Rebekah: I hope you're not waiting for Caroline to show up and stake me...

(She shows him the stake)

Rebekah: ...because I already found her.

**THE LIBRARY**

(Rebekah walks in with Stefan)

Elena: Stefan...

(Elena gets is sitting at the other Table away from them Worried about what Rebekah is trying to do)

Rebekah: Did I say you could move?

(Elena sets back down.)

Rebekah: Class is in session. You've all been compelled; you know the rules. Answer my questions honestly, no disobedience, no one leaves. April, my sweet, take notes. This is how you get answers in this town. Let's start with a little quiz. In the year 1114, my brother learnt, thanks to yours truly, about a brotherhood of vampire hunters with tattoos that grew with each kill. These tattoos revealed what, Elena?

Elena: A map.

Rebekah: Which led to... Caroline?

Caroline: A cure for vampirism.

Rebekah: Perfect, so we're all caught up. Stefan Salvatore, the last time we saw each other, you had a vampire hunter, but in order to decode the map, you needed the location of the hunter's sword, which you got out of me using some very dirty tricks. Assuming you found the sword, you also found the cure, and yet, you're all still vampires, which means something went wrong.

(Rebekah looks at April.)

Rebekah: What are you doing?

April: Oh, you asked me to take notes.

Rebekah: I wasn't being literal, darling. But now that you mention it... a flow chart would be nice, which means index cards and push-pins. Go, fetch.

(April leaves the room.)

Stefan: You're wasting your time. We don't know anything.

Rebekah: So, you just gave up? I thought you would do anything to save Elena? Even if it meant taking the cure yourself, so you could grow old and die with her?

(Elena looks at Stefan with a shocked look on her face.)

Rebekah: Why do you look so surprised?

(No one answers.)

Rebekah: I'm missing something. What is it?

Willow: They broke up, okay?

(Rebekah smiles.)

Caroline: Now let us go.

Rebekah: Broke up? Wait, I'm confused. I thought Elena was your epic love, Stefan?

(Rebekah sits down in April's chair and she looks at Stefan.)

Rebekah: I asked you what happened. You have to tell me.

Stefan: She slept with Damon.

(Elena looks at Stefan, surprised, and then she looks at rolling her eyes at this Again Elena does something Stupid)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Jeremy is putting wooden bullets in a gun. He hands the gun to Damon. Damon removes the bullets.)

Damon: Good. Now, do it like your life depends on it, 'cause it does.

Jeremy: Don't act like you care about my life. You care about the hunter's mark and curing Elena so she's not sired to your ass.

Damon: Both require you to be alive. Which is why I updated our relationship status to 'it's complicated.' Have you talked to her at all? Elena?

Jeremy: Maybe. Why? Running out of voicemails to listen to?

Klaus: I'm sorry. Did I interrupt play time?

(Klaus appears.)

Jeremy: What the hell are you doing here?

Klaus: I'm simply appreciating the sights and smells of nature, neither of which presently include rotting vampire flesh, so I'm a bit concerned. How many vampires has he killed?

Damon: If we throw Jeremy out into the real world right now, he's chum.

Klaus: Yeah, see, that's not a number. Twelve—that's a number. That's how many of my hybrids I slaughtered with my sword. Three—that's how many days it took to quell the urge to kill your brother after he knowingly watched as I walked into a death trap. One—that's the number of purposes you serve. You are here to grow Jeremy's mark, so I'll ask again... How many vampires has he killed since he's been here?

Damon: Zero.

(Klaus smirks)

Klaus: That's a pity. I'm going to need that cure sooner rather than later. Hybrid shortage and all. How can I help?

(Damon picks up the gun)

Damon: You know, now that you mention it... Jeremy, watch and learn.

(He shoots Klaus with wooden bullets.)

Damon: That's for Carol Lockwood.

**THE LIBRARY**

Rebekah: So, vampire Elena is a trollop who likes bad boys, which explains why Stefan reeks of alcohol. But what it doesn't explain is why sweet, loving, innocent Elena could be so heartless towards Stefan.

(Elena looks at Stefan.)

Rebekah: How could she hurt you like that? Answer, please.

Stefan: She didn't know it at the time, but she was sired to Damon.

Rebekah: A sire bond. That's fascinating. And what do you think about that, Elena?

Elena: I think you're sad and bored and in desperate need of a hobby.

(Rebekah compels Elena)

Rebekah: You're hiding something. Fess up.

Elena: I didn't sleep with Damon because of the sire bond. I slept with Damon because I'm in love with him.

(Stefan looks up and at Elena. He seems visibly hurt by what she said. Elena looks shocked at what she said.)

Willow: What does any of this have to do with the stupid cure?

Rebekah: You're right. We got off the point. Stefan, how do I find the cure? Unless, you'd rather talk about Damon and Elena all day.

Stefan: There's a professor. He knows where the cure is.

Rebekah: Thank you. And, uh, where do I find this professor?

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

Bonnie: Okay, so now I'm "gifted"? He hates my witch heritage. That's why he travels all the time; he can't handle it. And then, suddenly, he wants to be a protective father? No, not like this. Come on, distract me. Isn't there some magic therapy-thing you haven't shown me yet?

Shane: Listen, Bonnie, I hate to tell you this—actually, you know what? I take that back. I'm proud to tell you this. You don't need my help anymore. In fact...

(Shane pulls out a box from a drawer in his desk. He takes out a necklace.)

Shane: I was hoping to present this with a cupcake or something. Happy graduation.

(He hands Bonnie the necklace)

Bonnie: It's beautiful.

Shane: It's human bone.

Bonnie: Oh.

Shane: Legend says it was worn by the 2,000-year-old witch, Qetsiyah, who drew on it for strength. Bonnie, you have come so far so fast. You trust my opinion. Your magic is exactly where it needs to be.

Bonnie: Does this mean that I have to go home now?

Shane: It means I've got a stack of papers that I have to grade by tomorrow.

Bonnie: I can take a hint.

(Bonnie stands up)

Bonnie: Thanks, Shane.

(Bonnie leaves, she walks down the hallway and walks past Kol. She stops and suddenly realizes who that was.)

Bonnie: Oh, my god—Kol!

(She rushes to Shane's office to find it empty.)

Bonnie: Shane!

**LOCKWOOD MANSION**

(Tyler is sitting on the couch. His phone rings; he gets up and sees that it's Caroline calling.)

Tyler: I told you, I don't wanna talk.

(The shots alternate between Tyler at his house and Rebekah at the school.)

Rebekah: I heard, and you're keeping all that rage bottled up inside. Caroline's worried sick about you.

Tyler: Rebekah?

Rebekah: Hello, Tyler. I heard my brother made a real mess of your life. Believe me, I can relate. You have my condolences. In fact, why don't you come down to the high school so you can accept them in person?

Tyler: And why would I do that?

Rebekah: Because I have your girlfriend. Maybe you have a better shot saving her than you did your mother. Bye now.

(She hangs up. Tyler, angry, throws his phone at the wall and it explodes into pieces.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

(Kol walks in)

Kol: Sister... Look at this. You're even worse than Klaus.

Rebekah: Kol, finally. Did you bring what I asked for?

(Kol shoves Shane into the libaray)

Rebekah: You must be Shane.

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Damon is sharpening wooden bullets. He hears Klaus approaching from behind.)

Damon: If you're here for payback, go for it, 'cause you'll be stuck baby-sitting the little hunter that could.

(Klaus sits down)

Klaus: You know, if you adjust your angle a little bit, you'll find a sharper edge.

(Damon looks at Klaus)

Damon: I know how to whittle, thanks. Now I know why those hybrids hated you. You are annoying.

Klaus: Actually, I'm just perplexed as to why Jeremy hasn't killed any vampires.

Damon: Darwinism, Klaus. He needs to be able to protect himself before we hunt down his first vampire nest.

Klaus: And here was I, thinking you were the fun brother! Let's play a little game, shall we? Jeremy needs more victims, and there's a whole town of people down the road, just waiting to be turned into vampires for the slaughter.

Damon: You don't think that occurred to me, Klaus?

Klaus: Tragedy is, Damon, it did occur to you, and yet you chose to ignore it. My guess is you did it to impress Elena. Somehow, to honor her, you will find a way to spare innocent lives and walk Jeremy down the moral high road.

(Damon smiles)

Klaus: That's why I've already made the necessary corrections.

(Damon looks at Klaus)

Damon: What did you do?

(The pizza girl shows up at the Gilbert Lake House. Matt walks over and opens the door.)

Matt: Don't tell me we ordered another pizza?

Pizza Girl: No, I'm just an idiot. I ran out of gas, and my phone's dead. You think I could use yours?

Matt: Yeah, come in. I'll run upstairs and grab my cell.

(Matt goes upstairs; the girl tries to walk into the house, but can't.)

Pizza Girl: What the hell?

Jeremy: Hey, what are you doing here?

Pizza Girl: Car drama. Your friend just went to go get his phone.

Jeremy: Well, I'm about to go take a shower, but you're more than welcome to wait inside.

(Jeremy leaves and she steps into the house, looking surprised that she could.)

Pizza Girl: Thanks.

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

(Kol shoves Shane into a closet, Rebekah close behind them.)

Shane: Kol and Rebekah Mikaelson... two members of the Original vampire family. This is such a trip.

(Rebekah tries to compel him.)

Rebekah: Where's the cure?

Shane: Compulsion won't work. It's a little trick I picked up in Tibet.

Rebekah: Right. Well, we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way.

(Kol smiles)

Rebekah: Beat him until he tells you where to find it.

(Rebekah walks out of the room, leaving Kol and Shane there. Rebekah walks back to the library where Stefan, Willow Elena and Caroline are)

Rebekah: Still glued to your seats? Ahh, it's thick with tension in here. Let's spice things up a bit. Elena, truth or dare?

Stefan: We're done playing your stupid games, Rebekah.

Rebekah: Truth or dare, Elena. You're compelled answer.

Elena: Dare.

Rebekah: I dare you to tell Stefan the truth about Damon.

Willow: Seriously?

(Rebekah looks at Elena)

Elena: Being with Damon makes me happy.

Rebekah: Makes you happy? Clowns make you happy, Elena. Dig a little deeper.

Elena: When I'm with him... it feels unpredictable, like... like I'm free.

Rebekah: And how do you feel when you're with Stefan?

Caroline: Stop.

Rebekah: She can't, she's compelled.

Elena: Lately, I feel like I'm a project, like I'm a problem that needs to be fixed. I think I make him sad, and I can't be with someone like that, because when he looks at me, all he sees is a broken toy.

(Rebekah smiles but Stefan looks hurt by what Elena said.)

Rebekah: Do you still love Stefan?

Elena: Yes.

Rebekah: Are you still _in_ love with Stefan?

Elena: No.

(Elena looks like she wants to cry. Rebekah turns to Stefan.)

Rebekah: Did that hurt? Having someone you love drive a dagger through your heart?

Stefan: Go to hell.

Rebekah: Did. That. Hurt

Stefan: Yes.

Rebekah: Welcome to the last 900 years of my life.

Willow: This is Crazy why is this about Elena, Stefan and Damon what about Cure or did you forget about that all ready.

Rebekah: Your Right of course but that is going to have to wait.

Willow: Why am I even here I am not interested in the stupid Cure you can all have it( Trying to Leave but Rebekah vampspeeds in front of her)

Rebekah: I'm Sorry Little Mage but you have to stay here but Don't worry its Not you I want make suffer Elena and Stefan deserve to suffer for what they did to each other and to me.

(Stefan looks at Rebekah then at Elena Pissed at her. Suddenly Tyler runs through the door.)

Rebekah: Ah, good, you're here. It was just getting depressing.

Tyler: What the hell is going on?

Rebekah: Listen to the rules carefully. Stay in the building, no vamp-running in the hallways.

Caroline: Vamp-running from what?

(Rebekah looks Tyler in the eye and compels him.)

Rebekah: Turn.

Elena: What?

Caroline: He can't, he'll lose control!

Rebekah: That's the whole point. I've exhausted all your knowledge. Now I have the professor to help me find the cure, you're just competition. Whoever finds it first, gets to decide what to do with it. Use it, share it, destroy it, save it. I want that to be me.

Tyler: But if I turn, I'll kill them.

Rebekah: Yes, you will. Turn.

(Rebekah walks out.)

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Matt grabs his phone. Suddenly the girl appears.)

Girl: Did you find your phone?

(The girl attacks him. Jeremy comes in, pulls the girl off of Matt and stakes her. Damon walks in and sees what has happened. Jeremy watches the hunter's mark grow on his arm.)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

(Bonnie walks into a science lab. April is there)

April: Bonnie? How did you know everyone was here?

Bonnie: Who's everyone? I came to find Shane.

April: Did you do a GPS magic locator spell or something?

(Bonnie looks shocked.)

April: Rebekah told me that you're a witch.

Bonnie: Rebekah? What the hell is going on?

April: Rebekah has Stefan, Elena, and Caroline compelled. She's getting them to actually tell the truth for a change Willow Poor Girl just happen to be in the middle of it all.

(Bonnie walks over to the counter.)

April: What?

Bonnie: Shane can't be comeplled. Okay? She'll happily torture him to find out what he knows.

(Bonnie is searching for something on the counter.)

April: What are you looking for?

Bonnie: I need salt.

April: I think I just saw some.

(April goes over to the shelf and pulls down a jar of salt. She opens the container and Bonnie pours it into several beakers.)

April: What are you doing?

Bonnie: If this pendant will connect me to Shane, then I can do a protection spell.

(April backs up, and Bonnie pulls out the necklace. Bonnie stares at it before clutching it against her chest. She closes her eyes, and moments later, the salt ignites. April looks startled.)

(Elsewhere in the school, Kol tortures Shane in the custodial closet.)

Kol: WHERE IS THE CURE?!

(Kol shoves Shane's head into a sink filled with water, holding him there for several seconds. Kol yanks Shane's head back up, and Shane gasps for air.)

Kol: Where is the cure?

(Shane is breathing heavily and doesn't reply. Rebekah walks in. Smirking, Kol shoves Shane under again.)

(In the lab, April beings to cough, and Bonnie stares at her. The shots alternate between Shane being drowned and April coughing. In the closet, Kol yanks Shane up, and Shane is gasping for air.)

Rebekah: You're human. Why do you want it anyway?

Shane: That's the beauty of this. You can have it. I just want Silas.

(Kol holds Shane up by his shirt.)

Kol: No. What do you know about Silas?

Shane: He's the world's first immortal being, who just happens to be imprisoned with the cure... and I want to free him.

Kol: No!

(Kol shoves Shane under the water again. In the lab, April's coughing worsens and Bonnie notices.)

Bonnie: April?

(April grabs her throat, trying to breathe.)

Bonnie: What's happening?

(Bonnie rushes over to April. Water pours from April's mouth.)

Rebekah: Stop!

(Kol brings Shane back up for air. Kol lets go of Shane. In the lab, April stops coughing, and she breathes heavily. Bonnie helps her to her feet.)

Rebekah: He's of no use dead.

Kol: Did you not just hear what he said? Silas will kill us all, sister.

Rebekah: Silas does not exist. He is a—a fairytale made up to scare children into eating their vegetables.

Shane: Silas is very real. I know where he's buried, and soon I will have the spell that wakes him.

Kol: Wait a second, you're lying. You can't get to him.

Shane: Without his tombstone? Dozens to die in a blood sacrifice? Believe me, I know. I've done it. Those massacres are a pain to engineer.

Rebekah: You're the one who got the council blown up.

Shane: It was a noble sacrifice... and temporary, because once I raise Silas, Silas will raise the dead. He will bring back every last soul who died on his behalf.

(Kol picks up a stick and impales Shane with it.)

Kol: No!

(In the lab, April is bleeding where Shane was stabbed. She and Shane are linked from Bonnie's spell.)

Bonnie: Oh, my god.

(The shots alternate between the lab and the closet: Shane falls to the floor. April is dying. Shane appears to die. Bonnie looks up, as if she realizes what she has done.)

**THE LIBRARY**

(Tyler slams into the bookshelf, causing many books to fall.)

Tyler: Agh! I can fight this!

(He breathes heavily and falls to the floor. He crawls over to a table and pulls himself up. He grunts as his bones break. Caroline, Elena, Willow and Stefan look at him from a distance. He slams his arms on a table, breaking it.)

Tyler: GET OUT OF HERE!

Stefan: (to Elena Willow and Caroline) Go—go!

(The three run into the hallway, and Stefan closes the door. Tyler's screams can be heard.)

Elena: That door's not gonna hold him!

(Inside the library, Tyler's eyes glow amber, and his fangs emerge. He rams the door open and runs into the hallway after Elena and Stefan. Elena and Stefna close a door, trying to get away from Tyler. Stefan takes the fire axe and sticks it in the door handles. Tyler's growls can be heard as he rams into the door. The door is denting and opening; Stefan and Elena struggle to keep it closed. Elena rips off a locker door and sticks it through the door handles. Stefan and Elena back away from the door and stare at each other. They both charge at the door, banging it shut. It becomes quiet; Tyler is gone.)

**IN THE CUSTODIAL CLOSET**

Kol: You should be thanking me.

Rebekah: You killed my only chance at finding the cure.

Kol: Silas on the loose would be hell on Earth. Frankly, sister, I don't think you could handle it.

(Kol pulls out the white oak stake.)

Rebekah: How did you get that?

Kol: Way too easily.

(Kol walks out of the closet, leaving an angry Rebekah to follow him out. Shane's eyes open, looking surprised. He looks at the pole in his chest and struggles to take it out as he pulls himself to an upright sitting position.

Shane: Bonnie.

**IN THE LABORATORY**

Bonnie: Help! Someone help!

(Elena Willow and Stefan rush into the room and see April's limp body.

Willow : Bonnie, what's going on?

Bonnie: She needs help.

Stefan: What happened?

Bonnie: I did a protection spell, but it accidentally linked Shane to April.

Elena: And you couldn't control it?

Bonnie: I didn't know I was doing it! Usually I feel pain or I bleed, but this time I just felt more power.

(Stefan is feeding April his blood, and she gasps, petrified.

Stefan: It's okay, it's okay! You're okay, you're okay.

(Stefan holds April in his arms, comforting heer.)

Stefan: Bonnie, get out of the school. Just be careful. Tyler's out there, and he turned.

Bonnie: What about you?

Willow: No, we can't leave. Rebekah's compelled us.

Stefan: Just go. We'll deal with her later. Come on.

(Bonnie helps a still terrified April out of the room. Bonnie stares back at Elena before running out with April. Stefan shuts the door behind them.)

Elena: Stefan—

Stefan: No.

Elena: Stefan, we have to talk about this. Please.

Stefan: Talk about what, huh? How many more ways are there for you to rip my heart out?

Elena: I'm sorry.

Stefan: You're sorry that it happened, or sorry that I found out?

Elena: I'm sorry about all of it! I'm really sorry, Stefan. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want that.

(The door opens and Rebekah strides in.)

Rebekah: Why are my least Two favorite people always the most durable.

**IN THE GYMNASIUM**

(Caroline walks into the gym with a blunt object in her hands. She sees Tyler on the floor and drops it.)

Caroline: Tyler!

(She runs to him and wraps a tablecloth around his bare body. Tyler is in pain, and Caroline holds him in her arms.

Tyler: I'm so sorry.

Caroline: What? No, it's not your fault.

Tyler: Yes, it was. This whole thing... it's all my fault.

Caroline: No...

Tyler: I should have saved her.

(The two sit there, crying, as Caroline consoles Tyler.)

**IN THE LABORATORY**

Stefan: Leave her out of this. This is between me and you.

Rebekah: You're still protecting her. Must I rip your bleeding heart from your chest and show you the scar tissue that is Elena Gilbert? (to Elena) There's a solution to all your problems, you know. I could compel him. Erase every memory he has of you... every day you spent together, every kiss, every lie, every ounce of pain... I could take away every bit of love he has for you. Give you both a clean slate. Just say the word, and I'll make you and all that misery you caused him disappear.

Stefan: Do it.

(Elena looks shocked, and Rebekah turns to face Stefan.)

Rebekah: Excuse me?

Stefan: Erase it all, every memory.

Elena: Stefan? No!

Stefan: I said 'do it'.

Rebekah: (laughs) No. That would be far too easy. I _refuse_ to make you forget her the way Klaus made you forget me. (to Elena) But at least you know how he really feels. (to Stefan) Consider your eternity of pain my revenge, Stefan. I've used you for all you're worth, so now, you're free to go.

(Rebekah leaves, and Elena is clearly upset. Stefan starts to leave as well Willow is following behind him.)

Elena: Stefan, wait.

(Stefan ignores her and walks through the hallway. Elena follows him, then stops and lets him go.)

**PROFESSOR SHANE'S OFFICE**

(Shane is changing his shirt, and Bonnie storms in.)

Shane: Turns out I miscalculated. Kol's gonna be a problem.

Bonnie: I almost killed someone, and _that's_ what you miscalculated? April could have died today!

Shane: And that's only because you didn't know the extent of your abilities.

Bonnie: My father just became mayor. I can't be out doing black magic.

(She starts to leave.)

Shane: That's not what Expression is!

Bonnie: Then what is it?

Shane: It's a way of doing magic that isn't monitored by nature or the spirits. It isn't good or bad, but it also has no limits. So how _you_ use it is up to you. That's what I'm here for—to help you. Bonnie, listen to me. You are the key to everything. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you.

**GILBERT LAKE HOUSE**

(Somewhere in the woods, Damon is burying the pizza girl's body. His phone rings, and he answers it. The shots alternate between Damon in the woods and Elena on the front porch of the Gilbert house.)

Damon: Hope your day's going better than mine. Gotta say, I'm liking the odds.

Elena: Stefan knows about us.

Damon: Oh... How'd he take it?

Elena: How do you think?

Damon: Well, I'm thinking, for the first time all week, I'm happy to be at camp nowhere.

Elena: How's Jeremy?

Damon: That depends on how much you trust me.

Elena: You know that I trust you.

Damon: Then I think he's going to get through this just fine.

Elena: Thanks for looking out for him.

Damon: Yeah, well, I told them, if they were good, I'd buy them both ice cream, so... Look, I gotta go.

Elena: Not yet. Something happened today. I realized something about you... about us. And you can say that it's the sire bond, and you know what, maybe—maybe, it is. But I'm telling you, it's the most real thing that I have ever felt in my entire life. I love you, Damon. I love you.

Damon: Look. I'm going to get this cure for you... and I'm going to have to do things you're not gonna like.

Elena: Damon—

Damon: Listen carefully. Get in your car, right now. Come to me.

Elena: I'll be there soon.

(She hangs up the phone, smiling. Damon lowers the phone slowly, still reeling. He looks up at the sky and smiles.)

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Stefan has a drink in his hand, and Rebekah comes through the door.)

Stefan: Please, let yourself in.

Rebekah: You called me. Should I be checking for hidden daggers?

Stefan: You still wanna find the cure?

Rebekah: More than anything. I want to ram it down Niklaus' throat and look into his eyes as he realizes he's mortal again. But Shane's dead, and you are useless. So, I'm right back where I started.

Stefan: Shane's not dead.

Rebekah: But I watched Kol impale him.

Stefan: Well, you probably shouldn't have left him alone. Bonnie did a little spell. He's perfectly fine.

(Stefan pours a glass of bourbon, and Rebekah is shocked.)

Rebekah: You didn't have to tell me that. Why am I really here?

Stefan: You were right. I'm going to be here for an eternity, and I will go insane if I don't know how Elena truly feels about my brother.

Rebekah: Well, if you really want the cure, you should know that Shane has an agenda, and it's a dark one. He said he organized dozens of people to die in sacrifice, he admitted to the council explosion where twelve people died, and I'm guessing it's not a coincidence that twelve hybrids died at the hand of my brother.

Stefan: Twelve... channeling the energy from mass death is used in witchcraft to perform dark spells. It's called Expression. Shane admitted all this to you?

Rebekah: Proudly.

Stefan: Well, then, I guess we'll have to figure out how to manage him while we find the cure for ourselves.

Rebekah: We? There is no 'we', Stefan.

Stefan: Listen, I hate my brother, and you hate yours. But Damon's got Jeremy, Klaus has the sword, and Shane has Bonnie. You and I are the only ones left with nothing. You said it yourself, right? Whoever finds the cure first gets to decide what to do with it. So what do you say? You wanna be partners?

**MYSTIC GRILL**

(April is sitting at a table with Liz and Rudy.)

April: My father had no reason to kill eleven people. He had no reason to kill himself. He loved me. He loved Mystic Falls. He was brainwashed into sparking that fire. Professor Shane organized his death and the eleven others who died with him.

(Liz and Rudy glance at each other.)

April: It's time this entire town started telling the truth.

**A BAR SOMEWHERE**

(Music is playing, and many vampires in transition are lying around still dead. Jeremy, Matt, and Damon enter and stare at all the bodies. They walk up to Klaus, who is sitting at the bar and pouring himself a drink.)

Klaus: I was beginning to worry you boys wouldn't find the place.

Jeremy: What the hell...?

Matt: Did you kill all these people?

Klaus: Not exactly. They're in transition. (to Jeremy) Killing them is your job.

(Both Jeremy and Matt look at Damon.)

Jeremy: You said you were going to convince Klaus to do this another way!

Damon: Well, I thought about it, and then I realized his idea was better.

(Klaus smiles, and Jeremy stares at Damon in disbelief. One guy lying on the bar starts to move, and the scene fades out.)


	11. Catch Me If You Can

**Catch Me If You Can**

SOMEWHERE IN THE WOODS

[Matt is frantically running for his life. A vampire is chasing him. He stops and hides behind a tree. He looks behind the tree, and when he turns his head back, a vampire attacks him. Jeremy shoots the vampire in the back with an arrow as the vampire drinks Matt's blood. The vampire falls over.]

A BAR SOMEWHERE

Jeremy: No way. I'm not doing this.

Klaus: What makes you think you have a choice?

Damon: You have to kill vampires to complete the hunter's mark. Mark equals cure. You're in a bar full of almost vampires, so get your hunt on.

Jeremy: Screw you. You said I wouldn't have to kill any innocent people.

Damon: Jeremy, they're not people.

Klaus: Enough! Have at it, or else.

Jeremy: I don't take orders from you, dick. [Jeremy drops a stake.] Hunters can't be compelled.

Klaus: [laughs and walks up to Jeremy] You're right. I can't compel you. But if your conscience is getting in the way, then allow me to make this easy for you. Because, I _can_ compel _them_.

[They look at the vampires in transition; a few compelled humans are feeding them their blood.]

Klaus: I'm gonna give you a two-minute head start. Then I'm gonna send every vampire in here after you. You kill them, or they kill your friend...Matt.

Matt: What a second!

Damon: No, no. You turn them, he kills them. That was the deal, Klaus.

Klaus: I'm taking artistic license.

Damon: You know he can't take them all on at the same time.

Klaus: With you as his coach, he'll be fine. It's Matt I'm worried about.

Damon: Ah...Jeremy, go get the weapons out of the car. I'll be right behind you. [Jeremy runs out of the bar.] Both of you. [Matt follows.]

Klaus: If I hear an engine start, I'll kill Matt myself!

[Most of the transitioning vampires have been fed blood and are standing.

SOMEWHERE IN THE WOODS

[Jeremy is holding a piece of fabric to Matt's bleeding neck. Matt is on the ground.]

Jeremy: Are you okay?

Matt: Yeah, I just need a second.

Jeremy: We don't _have_ a second. They can smell your blood. We need to go.

[Jeremy hears something behind him. He swiftly turns around, holding up his bow, but it's Damon. Damon deflects the bow.]

Damon: Don't hesitate! You're lucky it was me. Otherwise you two'd be dead.

Jeremy: You set us up.

Damon: I was trying to get this thing over with. You're the one that pissed off Klaus. Now you have to fight your way out of it.

Matt: All right, where are the other vampires?

Damon: They're newbies. They're still trying to figure out how to track, which means you have two seconds to get ready to fight.

Jeremy: [turns to Matt] The lake house is this way. If we can get there, they won't be able to get inside.

Damon: Wait, you want to run?

Jeremy: They're going to kill Matt.

Damon: [Hesitantly] Fine. Get out of here. I'll slow them down.

[Jeremy and Matt run to the lake house, and a vampire charges at them. Damon rips out the vampire's heart and looks at it. The vampire is dead.]

Matt: [running] Jeremy! Where are you?

Jeremy: Keep going. We're almost there.

[A vampire trips Matt, and Matt falls to the ground. The vampire stares at Matt hungrily and drags Matt closer to him by Matt's feet. Matt screams and struggles. The vampire is about to bite Matt, but Willow snaps the vampire's neck and throws him backwards.

Willow: Are you okay?

[Elena helps Matt up, and Jeremy is running towards him. Elena looks at Matt's blood covered neck.]

Elena: Oh my god...

Jeremy: Get to the house! Hurry!

[The three run to the house and make it in.]

Willow: Jeremy, what's going on?

Jeremy: They're coming.

[Willow looks backwards, and a group of vampires arrive. Willow closes the door, and the scene fades, going to the opening credits.]

GILBERT LAKE HOUSE

[It is the following morning. Jeremy is placing a gun down while Elena is cleaning Matt's neck wound.]

Jeremy: Sun's up. They're long gone.

[Damon enters.]

Elena: What the hell were you thinking? [gets up] All I asked you to do was to teach him how to fight.

Damon: He's not the best student in the world.

Jeremy: Wait. Now this is my fault?

Damon: Stop talking. Look, I know you're angry, but my way was the easiest, fastest, and safest way to complete his mark to get you the cure.

Elena: I don't care about the cure, Damon. Not if it means putting the people that I love in danger.

Damon: Hey, there would have been no danger if he hadn't gone all bleeding heart.

Elena: He _killed_ someone. These were innocent people.

Damon: The mark grew, didn't it?

Willow: [sighs] Okay. Look. We need a plan. There's a group of compelled vampires out there, and as soon as the sun goes down, they're gonna come after Matt, so we have to find a way to protect him.

Damon: Yes, I know. [Damon walks over to Jeremy and puts his arm around his shoulder.] But there will be no problem when big Jer and I here go on a hunting expedition. [Elena doesn't look on board with the plan.] Elena, I know, it's tragic. I get it. But we also agree that he had to kill them. Now, we have added incentive. So you take the least most valuable player home; Jeremy and I will finish this.

Elena: I'm sorry? Are you saying I should leave him here with you?

Damon: Trust me. I will keep him safe. Okay?

[Elena looks at him warily before nodding her head 'yes.']

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

[Stefan is coming out of the shower. He stops and turns around to see Rebekah reading his diary on his bed.]

Stefan: [clears his throat] I know you were, uh, daggered for a little while, but, uh, knocking is still a thing.

Rebekah: So is writing in your diary apparently. I'm just checking for doubts. You can never be too cautious when it comes to love. One minute, you're begging me to compel Elena from your mind, and the next, I'm up coffin creek with a dagger in my back.

Stefan: Right. Well, you can read it all you want. I'm done with her.

Rebekah: [turning a page] Until we find the cure, right? [Stefan doesn't answer and pours himself a drink.] Hey, I'm talking to you. [closes the book]

Stefan: Oh, I know you are. I'm ignoring you.

Rebekah: [gets up] Look, we're at a bit of a disadvantage in this whole race for the cure. Team Klaus has Jeremy the hunter, team Shane has Bonnie the witch-

Stefan: If you're here to remind me of our last place status, I'm very well aware.

Rebekah: Actually I have a plan. The cure is buried with Silas, that ancient evil guy my brother Kol is afraid of. Shane was so eager to prove his existence that he gave away that he has one of the keys to resurrecting him, his headstone.

Stefan: I see. You wanna steal it.

Rebekah: Yes, and then Team Shane will have to join Team Rebekah, and Team Klaus will be left out in the cold where he belongs.

SHANE'S OFFICE

[A candle is lit. Bonnie looks rather stressed as she and Shane are sitting at his desk.]

Shane: You know, just because your eyes are closed doesn't mean you're meditating. Come on, use your breath. Use your breath to calm your nerves.

Bonnie: Great. So now, I can't even meditate right? What else can I fail?

Shane: Bonnie, you didn't fail.

Bonnie: I did an expression spell that almost killed April.

Shane: Exactly! Almost. Failing would have been actually killing her. You got like a...D Minus.

Bonnie: It's not funny. [Candle ignites] I have all this power now, and I'm worried I won't be able to control it.

Shane: Bonnie? Look at me. [he grabs her hand and hypnotizes her] I'm here with you. You don't have anything to worry about. You are strong; you are focused. You are in complete control.

Bonnie: You're here with me. I'm in complete control.

[The candle's flame goes out, and the door opens. Liz and one of her deputies barge in.]

Bonnie: Sheriff?

Liz: Bonnie, I'm gonna need you to go.

Shane: What the hell are you doing?

Liz: We need to ask you a few questions.

[Her deputy takes Shane and handcuffs him.]

Shane: [laughs] Are you serious? I'm sure I can answer without the handcuffs. Come on, this isn't even your jurisdiction.

Liz: Then, I guess we better get you to Mystic Falls ASAP.

[The deputy takes Shane out of his office, and Bonnie is angry.]

Bonnie: Wait! Why are you doing this?

Liz: That's something you should ask your dad.

[The sheriff leaves.]

AT CAR BY THE BAR

Willow: Do you really think they went back to the bar?

Damon: [opens the trunk] Where else are they gonna go? It's all cabins and vacation homes; they can't get in anywhere.

[Damon hands Jeremy a gun Willow is taking her Bow out and some arrows and putting them on her back. Jeremy puts it behind his back as Damon hands him the compound bow.]

Damon: All right. There you go.

Willow: Fine. Let's get this over with.

[Jeremy pulls back the compound bow.]

Damon: Listen, just go one at a time, only shoot for the heart, don't hesitate, and don't miss. [hands Jeremy an arrow]

Jeremy: Save the teaching moment. Elena's not here. You don't have to pretend like you give a damn about me.

Damon: [closes the trunk] I'm trying to keep you alive, dumbass. [hands Jeremy more arrows] Come on.

[Jeremy Willow and Damon head into the bar, and music can be heard in the background. They walk in cautiously, and Jeremy holds up the bow. A giant blood smear can be seen on the ground, and Damon walks around it.]

Damon: Something's not right.

[They follow the trail of blood into the back storage room. A giant pile of the vampire corpses are in the corner.]

Damon: Looks like we're gonna have to find some new vampires. What a waste.

Jeremy: What the hell happened?

Kol: I confess. [Jeremy turns around and holds the bow up to see that Kol entered the room.] I did it.

Willow: Kol?

Kol: Jeremy, good to see you, mate. Sorry about the mess. Ugh, it was a little crowded when I arrived, and I prefer more intimate gatherings. We four need to have a little chat. [takes a sip of alcohol]

Kol: Care for a drink?

Damon: He's underage, and I don't like you, so let's just cut to it.

Kol: You know, my brother bragged about his plan to complete Jeremy's hunter's mark. It was easy enough to track this lot down. They were all hiding in the shadows. Now, killing young vampires is easy or old ones, for that matter.

Damon: Why? What's it to you either way?

Kol: Because, you fools, in your zeal to find the cure, you risk waking someone very dangerous.

Damon: Oh...You must be talking about Silas.

Kol: What do you know of him?

Damon: Nothing. Don't want to. Not our problem.

Kol: Isn't it?

Damon: Uh-uh.

Kol: A few hundred years back, I came across a group that worshipped Silas. His followers told me that he would rise again, and when he did, he would trigger the end of all time. You know, being an immortal, you can see why I'm opposed to time's ending. So I murdered all of them. And now, here you are willing to risk raising him in your search for the cure. I can't exactly sit back and let that happen, can I?

Damon: We're not going to back off the cure 'cause you were told one too many scary bedtime stories, you idiot.

Kol: [pushes Damon] Jeremy, we were mates in Colorado. You're a smart lad. Why don't you call off this imbecilic treasure hunt?

Jeremy: [holding up the bow] I'm not calling anything off, mate.

Kol: [takes a step backwards] Well I could kill you. But then, I'd have to deal with the hunter's curse. And I, I don't particularly feel like being haunted for the next century. Better idea. I'll just rip off your arms.

[Kol rushes at Jeremy, but Damon rams Kol into the wall. The fight.]

Damon: Jeremy, run Willow Go with him

Willow: Come On jeremy

[Jeremy and Willow flees, and Damon continues to hit Kol. Kol catches Damon's hand and puts him in a headlock.]

SHANE'S OFFICE

[Stefan and Rebekah are rummaging through Shane's office in search for the tombstone.]

Stefan: Well. Headstone's not here.

Rebekah: Don't ripper out on me. We'll find it. Oh, you're all bottled up. You need a release. Maybe we can find a voodoo doll or something.

[Rebekah opens a desk drawer and moves a bottle. She lifts up a stack of papers to find Shane's herbs.]

Rebekah: Ah, this should do the trick. Exactly what you need. [walks over to Stefan] The professor's stash of herbs.

Stefan: Not interested.

Rebekah: What happened to you? You were so much fun in the twenties.

Stefan: I was a psychotic killer with no emotions in the 1920s.

Rebekah: You may have been a killer, but you were far from emotionless, Stefan. [smiles] You had a blast. I know you remember. The jazz, the booze, our little table at Gloria's... Don't make me compel it out of you.

Stefan: All right, um...I guess we had a little bit of fun.

Rebekah: Thank you, so now that we've established that fun is, in fact, possible, maybe you'd like to start having some? [Stefan hesitates] Don't worry about the professor. He won't be back anytime soon; I made sure of that.

[Stefan takes the jar of herbs, and Rebekah smiles.

POLICE STATION INTERROGATION ROOM

[Shane and Liz are sitting at a table.]

Shane: You're accusing me of orchestrating a mass murder? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?

Liz: It's Mystic Falls. It's actually one of the _least_ ridiculous things I've heard.

[Outside the room Bonnie and Hopkins are watching the video of the interrogation]

Bonnie: He already explained this Dad. Pastor Young came to him for help. He was crazy.

Hopkins: No, he was grief-stricken and Shane took advantage of it.

Bonnie: And somehow talked him into killing a house full of people? It doesn't make any sense.

Hopkins: I've met people like this Bonnie. They're fast-talking, they're charismatic, they're manipulators. They prey on the weak-minded.

Bonnie: Mmm. And you're worried that's what he's doing to me. That's why you brought him in, isn't it?

Hopkins: No. We brought him in because April Young told us what he did. Rebekah Mikaelson confirmed it. He confessed to her.

Bonnie: [Getting up from her seat] I'm going in there.

Hopkins: Bonnie, no, you're not.

Bonnie: If he's gonna tell anyone what he did, it's me. Unless of course you think I'm too weak-minded. [She goes inside]

INTERROGATION ROOM

[Bonnie opens the door and walks in]

Liz: Bonnie, now is not the time.

[Hopkins walks in behind Bonnie]

Hopkins: Let her talk. [Liz gets up and walks out of the room with Hopkins]

Shane: I Think your Dad's confused about the format of the parent-teacher conference.

Bonnie: I'm so sorry. Rebekah told them you confessed. I know she's lying.

Shane: [Leans forward and speaks in a low voice] You know, the truth is, she's not.

[Bonnie looks shocked and confused]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Elena and Matt enter the house.]

Elena: I'm so sorry. Listen. When I asked you to stay with Jeremy, I never thought-

Matt: What did you expect, Elena? It's Damon.

Elena: I never wanted anyone to get hurt.

Matt: Well, then you shouldn't have left him in charge. Look. I'm sorry. I know you didn't have a choice. Sire bond and all.

Elena: Sire bond doesn't work like that.

Matt: All I know, Elena, is that the old you would have never left Jeremy with Damon, especially after what happened last night.

[Elena's cell phone rings; she answers it.]

Elena: Jeremy?

Jeremy [on the phone]: Elena, we're in trouble.

Elena: Whoa whoa whoa, slow down. Where's Damon?

Jeremy: Listen to me. Kol attacked us. I barely got away, but he has Damon.

KLAUS' MANSION

Klaus: A bit ironic, you coming to me for help. Weren't your friends just trying to bury me in a cement tomb?

Elena: This is your fault. You started this when you forced Jeremy to kill those vampires.

Klaus: And now my little brat of a brother has gone and made things worse. Well, he never did like Damon. I suppose I should do something, shouldn't I?

Elena: Call him off, Klaus.

Klaus: You are in no position to make demands, love. Whilst I'd like to cure you to make more hybrids, I do have other reasons for finding the cure, not the least of which is destroying it so you lot can't use it against me.

Elena: Whatever our differences, we want the same thing. Please. Klaus, I'm begging you.

[Klaus smiles at her then rolls his eyes as he gets out his cell phone. He calls Kol.]

Klaus: Little brother. Just two days home, and I'm told you've already gone and made a mess.

[Cut to Kol in the cold storage room; the shots alternate throughout the phone conversation.]

Kol: Come on, Nik. I was only having some fun.

Klaus: Those vampires were for my hunter.

Kol: I'll make some more. There's no shortage of people.

Klaus: Where's Damon Salvatore?

Kol: I gave him a good and proper beating just for old time's sake.

Klaus: Yes. Well, you've had your fun. Now let him go and come home. Avoid any more trouble, or you'll find yourself back in a box.

Kol: Hey. No need to be nasty about it.

Klaus: On the contrary, I find nastiness to be essential whenever my siblings try to sabotage me. Listen closely, Kol. Stay away from the Gilbert boy. You understand?

Kol: Fine. I won't touch him. You have my word. [Kol hangs up. Cut to Damon holding a stake in his chest.] Very good, darling. Now stab yourself a little bit further. [He compels Damon to obey.]

Damon: [pushing the stake into himself, he groans in pain] If you're gonna kill me, do it like a man.

Kol: I don't want to kill you. I just wanted to make sure you could be compelled.

Damon: I'm gonna rip out your spleen.

Kol: You ought to be thanking me. I mean you don't really want the cure found. You fancy Elena. I mean, even more now that she's a vampire. Admit it. The last vestige of her humanity is her annoying little brother Jeremy, and deep, deep down, I bet you want him dead, don't you?

Damon: Nope.

Kol: [laughing] You're lying. I bet you'd love to rip his head right off... And I'm gonna give you your wish. [He crouches down in front of Damon and compels him.] You're not gonna remember what I say, but you're going to find Jeremy Gilbert, and when you do, you're going to kill him.

GILBERT HOUSE

Elena: Jeremy, it's over. You can put all this away.

Jeremy: [clicking a magazine into a gun] Klaus still wants me to finish the mark. He's not gonna stop.

Elena: Okay. Well, Damon's gonna be back soon and then we can figure something out.

Jeremy: Seriously? You still trust Damon?

Elena: He saved your life.

Jeremy: He saved the map to the cure. He couldn't care less about me.

Elena: I care about you. [She puts her hand on Jeremy's shoulder but Jeremy immediately swats it away.]

Jeremy: Don't. Whatever's inside of me that makes me want to hunt, right now it's on overdrive.

Elena: [looking down] Jeremy.

Jeremy: [He looks down at the wooden stake in his hand and, startled, drops it.] I'm sorry. I know what I have to do, Elena. I really want to get that cure for you, but... I just - I don't know how I'm gonna do this.

[Elena nods at him understandingly.]

Willow: How Far are you willing to go for the Cure Elena It won't matter when everyone will be dead before you reach it.

Elena: Everyone is out for the Cure Not just me I never asked for anyone to be looking for it Stefan started this when he first learned of the Cure and well Rebekah wants it for herself and Damon is just trying to find it to take the sire bond away and make sure that my feelings for him is real.

Willow: Still you No longer want the Cure you should be telling Stefan and Damon to back off it is not good for Jeremy to keep Hunting Vampires any longer all this is going him killed.

Elena: I know Willow believe me I know but There is Nothing I can do if everyone else is after the Cure we have to make sure to get it before they do.

SHANE'S OFFICE

[The room is low-lit, and smoke can be seen hovering over the desk.]

Stefan: [sighing, walking around] So much random crap in here.

Rebekah: [seated] Crap, maybe. Random, no. Looks like Shane has a bit of an afterlife fetish. Hopi prayer feathers, the Han dynasty soul vase, and that is a Polynesian sacrificial knife. Brutal way to die, but at least you appease the gods.

Stefan: Since when did you become such an artifact expert?

Rebekah: I enjoy other cultures, Stefan. I know that might be hard for you to understand, considering you dated a child who only thinks about herself.

Stefan: [smiles, then throws the knife at Rebekah, who catches it right before it hits her face.]

Rebekah: [laughing] Still a sensitive subject, I see. [she stands up and walks toward Stefan] Do you know why I wouldn't compel Elena from your memory?

Stefan: Because you wanted me to suffer.

Rebekah: I did. It's the only way you'll learn. It took me a thousand years and hundreds of betrayals to realize that love, and caring, ruins you.

Stefan: Hmm. That's awfully bleak.

Rebekah: Quite the opposite. It's liberating actually. You know why we had so much fun in the twenties, Stefan? Because we didn't care. We just did what felt good - drinking, feeding, sex. [She's lightly dragging the knife against Stefan's neck.]

Stefan: The sex wasn't good because we didn't care. It was good because you're crazy. Crazy sex is always good.

Rebekah: You were hardly the model of sanity.

[Stefan grabs the wrist of her hand holding the knife and pulls her arm down. She laughs and smiles at him.]

Rebekah: Stop... caring. [She drops the knife while they continue to stare at one another, their faces nearly touching.]

[The door suddenly opens. They disappear as an unknown man enters. He begins searching the office for something, removing books from the shelf and tapping the walls. He eventually opens a door and finds a large stone.]

Rebekah: Good. You found it. [She grabs his neck, restraining him while he makes choking noises.] Question is who are you?

GILBERT HOUSE

[Elena opens the front door. Damon is standing on the porch.]

Elena: What happened? Are you okay? [she puts her hands on his shoulders]

Damon: Kol happened.

Elena: Thank God you both got away. If Kol had taken Jeremy-

Damon: Is he here? 'Cause I just want to talk to him really fast.

Elena: Willow took him to the Grill. He wanted to check on Matt.

Damon: Well, I should go apologize to him. I was - I was pretty tough on him today.

POLICE STATION INTERROGATION ROOM

[Shane is sitting at the table; the door opens behind him and Bonnie enters.]

Bonnie: Told my dad to give us a minute. [walks over to the camera, it beeps] Camera's off. [sits across from Shane at the table] You can talk.

Shane: [pointing at a camera mounted at the corner of the ceiling] Are you sure about that?

Bonnie: Yeah. I don't lie. I'm not you.

Shane: Look. I was always gonna tell you the truth. I just kept putting it off because I was worried how you'd react.

Bonnie: [nodding] Bad. That's how I react to murder.

Shane: I'm not a killer, Bonnie. Pastor Young was depressed-

Bonnie: I've heard this. Skip to the part where you convince him to _massacre_ _11 people_.

Shane: It wasn't a massacre. It was a ritual. It was something necessary to raise Silas and get the cure that your friends so desperately want.

Bonnie: If they knew people had to die-

Shane: It doesn't matter if they die. Silas will bring them back.

Bonnie: You're crazy.

Shane: I'm not crazy. I'm just passionate.

Bonnie: [standing up] You're full on crazy. [she walks over to the door and opens it]

Shane: Do you remember our first session? [Bonnie pauses at the door.] It was about your grams, right? You thought every time you did magic you were causing her pain. [he turns to look at her] Aren't you curious what's happening to her now? Wouldn't you like to see her again?

[Bonnie gapes at him in disbelief, but finally decides to stay and shuts the door.]

MYSTIC GRILL

[Matt is clearing a table. Damon approaches him, followed by Elena.]

Damon: Don't you ever take a night off?

Matt: I took two days off to help you out at the lake house, remember? I almost got killed.

Damon: Where's Jeremy?

Matt: He's in the back I think.

Damon: Hmm. [he walks around Matt heading for the back room]

Elena: [to Matt] Are you doing okay?

Matt: Yeah. All things considered.

[Damon spots Jeremy across the restaurant. They make eye contact; Damon's eyes start to vamp out and he begins crossing the restaurant toward Jeremy, who looks alarmed.]

Willow:( Confused at Damon's Behavior she then feels alarmed) Oh No Jeremy Damon has been compelled you have to Run.

Jeremy: What How Kol?

Willow: He must of Compelled him to Kill you Go Jeremy( Pushing him in front of her as she vampspeeds them away)

Elena: Damon. [He stops suddenly and looks around at her, a strange look on his face.] Are you all right? What's going on? [Damon turns away to see a door close; Jeremy's gone.]

[Cut to Jeremy and Willow in the back room. He looks around, withdraws his gun, cocks it and stands aiming it at the door. But then he looks down at a metal panel on the wall, covering the entrance to underground tunnels.]

[Cut to Damon, still looking slightly odd. He looks at Elena then turns and walks toward the back room. Elena follows.]

Elena: [in the back room] Damon, what is wrong with you?

Damon: It was Kol. He must have compelled me. If I find Jeremy... I'm gonna kill him. [He vamp-runs down into the tunnel. Elena looks down through the entrance, bewildered.]

IN THE TUNNELS

[Jeremy hurries through the tunnels, aiming his gun and flashlight ahead of him as he goes.]

Damon: [voice only, in the distance] Jeremy! Get out of here! Do you hear me? Don't stop. Kol compelled me. There's nothing I can do!

[Cut to Damon walking in the tunnels.]

Damon: You can't hide in here, Jer. If I find you, you're dead.

[Cut to Jeremy.]

Damon: [voice only] Jeremy, are you listening to me? You better run! I am coming to kill you. You need to go now!

[Damon vamp-runs down a passage.]

SHANE'S OFFICE

[Rebekah is torturing the unknown man by slicing his leg open slowly with the knife.]

Rebekah: All you have to do to make it stop is tell me who sent you. [The man groans but doesn't answer. She tastes some of the blood on the knife.] You're full of vervain, so I know you haven't been compelled.

Stefan: Or maybe somebody compelled him before he ingested it.

Rebekah: He was after the headstone. We need to know who sent him.

Stefan: Okay. Fine. So we take him home, wait till the vervain is out of his system, and then compel him and get whatever information we want.

Rebekah: That's not a bad idea.

[The man grunts and begins spitting out blood. Stefan grabs his face and looks into his mouth.]

Stefan: He just bit off his own tongue.

Rebekah: So he does know something.

[The man grabs the knife from Rebekah's hand and jabs it into his own neck. Stefan pulls it out but too late. The man bleeds out of the neck, dead.]

Stefan: I guess he was compelled.

Rebekah: Was it my bastard brother or yours?

Stefan: Maybe it's option number three. There's another team in the race.

INTERROGATION ROOM

Bonnie: [pacing] You're saying if I help you raise Silas you can bring my grams back? Don't play on my guilt, Shane.

Shane: I'm not playing on anything. This is the truth. You told me what happened. Your reckless use of magic is the reason-

Bonnie: Don't.

Shane: -is the reason those spirits are torturing her on the Other Side.

Bonnie: [angrily] Don't.

Shane: Hurting her again and again and again.

Bonnie: [shouting] I said don't!

Shane: Unh! [he raises his hand, apparently in pain] My hand! You can't stop, can you? All this power that you're feeling, you actually like it, don't you?

[Bonnie smiles evilly and Shane screams in pain.]

Shane: Look at yourself, Bonnie. Look at yourself, Bonnie.

[Mayor Hopkins opens the door.]

Hopkins: [alarmed] Bonnie, what are you doing?

Bonnie: Get- [she throws water from a glass onto the floor and turns it into fire] -out of here.

Hopkins: Bonnie, stop!

Shane: You can't reason with her, Mayor. She's lost control.

Hopkins: Bonnie, baby, baby. Please. [looking at Shane] Do something!

Shane: Bonnie... Bonnie, look at me! Now take a deep breath. I'm right here with you. You are in complete control. [Bonnie's expression starts returning to normal] That's it.

[The fire goes out. Shane looks at his hand in wonder. A single tears slides down Bonnie's cheek and she leaves the room, hurrying past her father.]

Shane: Your daughter... is a prodigy. With my guidance... she could be one of the most powerful witches in the world... But without it- whew- she's a time bomb.

SHANE'S OFFICE

[Stefan's cell phone is ringing. He looks at it, but Rebekah grabs it from him before he can answer it.]

Rebekah: [answering the phone] Hello, Elena.

Elena: [in the tunnels] What did you do to Stefan?

Rebekah: Rescued him from his old, dull life, but it keeps calling. Stefan's not in the mood to talk right now.

Elena: Then he can listen. I know you might not care about me right now, Stefan, but Kol compelled Damon to kill Jeremy. They're somewhere in the tunnels, and I- it's one giant maze down here, and I can't find them, so if you still care about the cure or about Jeremy, then maybe you can come help. [Stefan remains silent. Elena looks angry but resigned.] Okay. [hangs up]

Rebekah: Well that is an interesting predicament. For both of us.

IN THE TUNNELS

[Jeremy is still in the tunnels, and hears Damon calling from a distance.]

Damon: [voice only] Did you miss the part where I said I'm compelled? Don't stop!

[Jeremy withdraws a knife and uses it to cut his hand. Cut to Damon.]

Damon: Seriously? You're being hunted by a vampire, and now you're bleeding?

[Damon vamp-runs to where Jeremy left his jacket on the ground. He is picking it up when suddenly Jeremy runs at Damon and puts him in a headlock. Damon bites his arm; Jeremy yells in pain as Damon throws him down to the ground.]

Damon: [eyes vamped out] Dumb move, Jer. You can't fight me in closed quarters.

Jeremy: It was worth a shot. [He shoots Damon in the abdomen.]

Damon: [groans in pain as he falls to his knees] You're gonna have to shoot me, Jeremy, in the heart. I'm not gonna be able to stop myself. Jeremy, you are a hunter. You know you want to. Do it. [Jeremy stands still with gun aimed at Damon, but doesn't shoot.] Do it! [Damon gets up, and his face vamps out as he fails to resist the compulsion. Jeremy fires the gun before the screen goes black.]

[Damon is lying on the ground, waking up.]

Damon: Ow. Ugh. [He sits up. Groaning, he pulls a bullet out of his forehead.] He shot me in the head. [throws the bullet on the ground angrily] Stupid, idiot, borderline brain-dead moron! [standing up] That was dumb, Jeremy. You should've killed me when you had the chance. [He sees Jeremy's blood on the ground; his eyes vamp out as he walks down another tunnel.]

KLAUS' MANSION

[Kol walks into a room. Rebekah enters from the other side, blocking his way.]

Rebekah: Going somewhere? I wouldn't if I were you. If Damon kills the hunter, Nik will not be pleased.

Kol: [smiling] I told Nik I wouldn't touch the kid. I didn't.

Rebekah: [sarcastically] Oh. Well, that was clever. I'm sure he'll really appreciate it.

[Kol pushes past his sister to leave but Rebekah pulls out the white oak ash dagger and points it at his back. Kol stops and finally looks afraid.]

Kol: You'd really dagger me?

Rebekah: If I do, Damon's compulsion ends and this is all over.

Kol: And then you're no better than Niklaus. Daggering siblings when you disagree with them- Look at what this family has become. I mean, Elijah won't even show his face, he's so disgusted by our bickering. This cure has ruined us, and it hasn't even been found yet. Just imagine what would happen if it is.

Rebekah: This family was ruined long before we knew about the cure.

[Kol vamp-speeds around to face Rebekah and points the white oak stake at her heart.]

Rebekah: Kol!

Kol: I won't let you raise Silas.

[Klaus vamp-runs into the room and breaks up the two of them.]

Klaus: Enough of this foolishness. Put it down, Kol.

[Kol vamp-runs out of the house.]

Rebekah: He was going to kill me!

Klaus: Well, then, I think you need a lesson in how to properly dagger a sibling.

Rebekah: Burn in hell. [She turns and leaves the house.]

SOMEWHERE IN THE WOODS

[Jeremy is running. In pain, he stops and leans against a tree, sliding his back down it to the ground. His injured hand is haphazardly bandaged but still extremely bloody. Cut to Damon, in the woods, still in pursuit of Jeremy.]

Willow: [behind him] Damon, stop! [he stops] Please. I know that you don't want to hurt Jeremy, so please stop.

Damon: [turning around to look at her, pain in his eyes] I can't.

Elena: Yes, you can. You're strong enough to resist the compulsion. I know that you are.

Damon: Why, because Stefan did?

Elena: Because I love you. Because you love me. You'd do anything for me, so please... do this for me.

[Damon seems entranced by Elena's words, but then blood drips from a tree; they both hear it. They can hear Jeremy gasping for breath and smell all the blood he's lost.]

Damon: I'm sorry, Elena. [He vamp-runs away as his eyes vamp out.]

Willow: Damon! [She vamp-runs after him.]

[Jeremy cocks his gun.]

Damon: Jeremy.

[Jeremy turns around to face Damon and point his gun at him, propping himself up against the tree as he tries to stand.]

Damon: Shoot now.

[Jeremy fires at the exact moment that Stefan vamp-runs at Damon and pushes him up against another tree.]

Stefan: Hey, brother. Long time, no see. [He snaps Damon's neck and Damon collapses. Elena arrives to look at Stefan incredulously.] You're welcome.

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE - CELLAR

[Stefan is leaning against the dirt mound in the cell where the vervain used to grow, handling a wooden stake. Damon stirs on the ground, groaning as he wakes up.]

Stefan: Easy there, buddy. You lost a lot of blood.

Damon: [groaning] So you bled me out?

Stefan: Yeah. I didn't really have much of a choice. Kol's compulsion is still in effect, so you need to stay locked up. We don't have any vervain, so... this was the only way I could weaken you.

Damon: You sound real torn up about it. Shouldn't we be going after Kol, make him decompel me?

Stefan: [sarcastically] Yeah, yeah, sure. That sounds easy enough, Damon. I'll get right on that.

Damon: [coughing as he fails to sit up] At least let me see Elena.

Stefan: Come on. You know you can't do that. With the sire bond, all you have to do is tell her to let you out of here. It's too risky.

Damon: You're really enjoying this, aren't you?

Stefan: It's better for Elena if you stay in here for now, at least until we find the cure, and then once she's no longer sired and you're no longer compelled, you can both do whatever the hell you want. [He leaves and closes the cell door behind him.]

Damon: Stefan, wait. Stefan! [The door shuts and Stefan locks it.] Stef...

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE - UPSTAIRS

[Stefan meets Elena.]

Stefan: Going to see Damon?

Elena: I need to talk to him.

Stefan: Well, you can't. He'll just ask you to let him out.

Elena: I won't let him out.

Stefan: You won't have a choice. You're sired. [Elena shifts uncomfortably and doesn't respond.] That all?

Elena: Stefan, what are you doing with Rebekah? She tried to kill me.

Stefan: And this will be the second time that Damon tried to kill Jeremy. So I guess nobody's perfect, right?

Elena: Are you trying to punish me? I don't know how many times I can apologize.

Stefan: I never asked you to. You can do whatever you want, Elena. I really don't care.

Elena: You're hurt. You're hurt, and you're acting out. Stefan, this isn't you.

Stefan: Sure it is. You've just never seen me like this. You don't know what I look like when I'm not in love with you. [Elena looks shocked. Stefan smiles.] I'll let Damon know you stopped by.

[Elena, looking surprised and a little embarrassed, hesitantly turns and walks away.]

MYSTIC GRILL

[Bonnie and her father are sitting at a table.]

Bonnie: I owe you an apology.

Hopkins: You don't owe me anything. I'm not happy to be right. I'm gonna get you some help.

Bonnie: Help? Dad, I'm okay.

Hopkins: Are you kidding me?

Bonnie: I got angry, I admit, but I knew what I was doing.

Hopkins: You lost control, and Shane said-

Bonnie: Didn't we just establish that we couldn't trust him? He trying to get under your skin.

Hopkins: The only thing that got under my skin is what I saw, which is my daughter using dangerous magic! And the fact that you don't think you need help means you need it even more.

[Bonnie, looking slightly abashed, doesn't respond.]

GILBERT HOUSE - NIGHT

[Klaus walks up the front steps and knocks on the door. Elena opens the door, Jeremy standing behind her.]

Klaus: Good evening, Gilbert clan.

Elena: What do you want, Klaus?

Klaus: I've come to fetch my hunter. Seeing as how my brother's become a liability, Jeremy will be safer with me.

Jeremy: I think I'll pass. I've killed enough people for you today.

Klaus: You think you're safer here? Hmm. Clearly you don't know Kol. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants, so strange as it may seem, I'm your best bet.

Elena: Sorry, but I think we'd rather take our chances.

Klaus: Fine. But when Kol does come- and he will come- be sure to let me know, preferably before he burns your nice little home to the ground. And as for you, hunter, there's no shortage of people to turn or loved ones to threaten, so sleep well. We'll plan on finishing our work tomorrow. [He turns and leaves. Elena shuts the door.]

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

[Rebekah stands in front of a mirror as she sips a cocktail. The door opens and Stefan walks in.]

Rebekah: Sure. Just barge right in.

Stefan: Oh. I thought not knocking was our thing. You didn't dagger Kol.

Rebekah: [removing her earrings] Well, the white oak stake pointed at my heart made things a little difficult. I do believe my brother Kol has finally lost his mind.

Stefan: That's all right. Jeremy's still alive, and I took care of Damon. So where'd you put it?

Rebekah: The headstone?

Stefan: Mm-hmm.

Rebekah: Some place safe.

Stefan: Wasn't really our deal.

Rebekah: Well, considering that you've betrayed me twice, and I've betrayed you never, I think I'm acting prudently. Especially since we have no idea why that guy was looking for it. Did you work things out with Elena?

Stefan: Do you care?

Rebekah: Nope. Just trying to figure out why you're here.

Stefan: Do you even have to ask?

Rebekah: [smiling] No feelings, no attachments.

Stefan: None... whatsoever.

[They kiss and start pulling clothes off of each other. Stefan pushes Rebekah down on the bed; she leans up to pull at his belt but he pushes her down again, kissing her.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Jeremy and Elena are standing at the kitchen table.]

Jeremy: This is never gonna end. If Kol doesn't kill me first, then Klaus is just gonna force me to kill more innocent people. How many is it gonna take, 10, 100?

Elena: [realizing something] If you kill one Original vampire, their entire sire line will die with them. That's thousands, maybe tens of thousands of vampires. Kol compelled Damon to kill you. You're gonna kill Kol instead. [They look at each other, and Elena nods.]


	12. A View To Kill

A View To A Kill

WILLOW'S HOUSE

Willow waking up from another Nightmare about the Island and about the Man laying on top of the Alter Laying back down breathing Hard from the Dream she runs her hand through her hair then she Pulls back her covers to make the bed and then she Pulls out what she is going to wear black jeans with a Blue sweater and Brown boots she Brushes out her hair and then pulls it up in a Pony tail she grabs her jacket and car keys she runs down stairs to get some breakfast when Someone Knocks on her door Finding Klaus standing there she was a Little Curious of why would he be here.

Willow: Morning Klaus what has you Knocking on my door

Klaus:( Looking around her house) Humm I was wondering if you would be My Partner in finding the Cure for me sense everyone else has already have Partners

Willow: No Offense Klaus but I have No interest in the Cure you all can have for All i care I find its very Pointless.

Klaus: Really Wow that is good but can you still help me though I would love to have you for Company at least for a while.

Willow:( Thinking anything she was planning on Doing but decided to Go with Klaus Anyway) Okay Klaus I'll go with you for Today

Klaus: Excellent Lets take my Car No sense in taking yours and Running out your Gas out( Taking her arm as she Locks the door then she walks with him to his SUV she gets in the Passager side while Klaus gets in the drivers side)

**REBEKAH'S HOUSE**

[Stefan wakes up with a sleeping Rebekah's arm around him. He slowly removes her arm and gets out of the bed. He quickly puts his clothes on with vampire speed, trying to sneak out. He puts on his jacket and opens the door to see Klaus and Willow.]

Klaus: Leaving so soon?

[Rebekah angrily puts her robe on.]

Rebekah: This is my place, Nik, and I don't appreciate you invading my privacy like some kind of creeping tom.

Klaus: Well, I apologize for breaking up this sordid little tryst, but I do have some urgent business. Or have you forgotten – our paranoid brother Kol is running around with the white oak stake and homicide on the brain?

Rebekah: He tried to kill me last night. I didn't forget.

Klaus: Yes, well, unfortunately he seems to have absconded with my set of daggers.

Rebekah: Oh, poor Nik. How ever will you get your way without your precious daggers? They were so handy when you wanted to end a conversation with one of us!

Klaus: Kol's irrational fear of Silas has pushed him over the edge. We need to put him down before he does any more damage. Now, I know you have the last dagger, and I know you have some white ash, so hand it over.

Rebekah: Mhm, and leave myself unprotected? You can file that request under 'no chance in hell.' Be gone by the time I have showered. Lurkers aren't welcome here.

Rebekah: What are you doing here with Nik Willow I thought you didn't want nothing to do with the Cure.

Willow: I don't but I've decided to Help you and Stefan find it( Stefan raiseing his head at her Surprised) If anyone deserves this Stupid cure it would be you two.

Stefan: I don't now what to say about that

Rebekah: Thanks Willow( Touched and smiling at Willow)

[Rebekah leaves.]

Klaus: I need that dagger, Stefan. Talk some sense into her.

Stefan: Why don't you talk some sense into her? I'm headed home to play prison guard to Damon. He's on lockdown ever since Kol compelled him to kill Jeremy last night.

Klaus: You see? That's my point exactly. If you let Kol roam free, then Jeremy won't live to see his junior prom, and we can kiss our map to the cure goodbye. But if you help me dagger Kol, Damon will be uncompelled, Jeremy will live, and we'll all be on our merry way to a human Elena.

Willow: I can go over to Your House Stefan and watch over Damon if you want that way you can do what you got to do.

Stefan: I will go with you to make sure that Damon doesn't try anything Stupid( They both Leave)

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL**

[Bonnie is blowing up balloons in the gym for a school dance while talking on the phone. The shots alternate between Bonnie at the school and Elena at her house.]

Elena: Where are you?

Bonnie: I told Caroline that I'd take her place at decade dance prep, but none of the rest of you showed.

[Elena picks up a packet of chips off Matt and puts them on the table.]

Elena: I know, I'm sorry. I had to, though. I have Jeremy under house arrest because Kol wants to kill him, and Klaus wants to take him on some vampire-slaying road trip. And since neither of them are invited in, it's the only place I can keep them safe.

Bonnie: Why does it sound like you're under fire?

Elena: Apparently I'm living in a fraternity house now.

[Jeremy and Matt are playing a loud video game.]

Jeremy: I'm training.

Matt: Me, too.

Elena: Train yourself to do some dishes, and put these weapons away before _someone_ tries to use one on me.

[Matt gives her a thumbs up.]

Bonnie: Well, it's hard for me to look forward to this dance while you're trapped in your house.

Elena: Listen, I have a plan to end all of this. I want Jeremy to kill Kol.

Bonnie: You want Jeremy to kill an original?

Elena: Think about it. Kol's sire line must stretch to the moon by now. If Jeremy kills Kol, every vampire that he's ever turned, not to mention everyone that they've turned, will die, which means the hunter's mark will be complete and we'll have our key to finding the cure.

Bonnie: I'm on my way, we'll figure it out. Do you think Caroline will notice if there's only 89 red balloons?

Elena: [laughing] Actually, probably yes.

[Elena puts her hands under the water and gets burned, gasps and drops her phone. Jeremy and Matt stand up.]

Bonnie: Elena!

[Elena picks up her phone.]

Elena: Sorry.

Bonnie: What happened?

Elena: I don't know. There's something in the water.

[Cut to Bonnie walking in the hallways of the school, talking on the phone with someone else.]

Bonnie: Are you serious? You dumped vervain into the water supply? Where did you even get it?

Rudy: I have my sources. I'm also reinstating the curfew and canceling all town events.

Bonnie: Dad, there's a dance tonight.

Rudy: Not anymore.

Bonnie: Are you serious

Rudy: Honey, I'm trying to protect you, not punish you. The well-being of this town is my job now.

Bonnie: No! Dad, it's mine and I've been doing fine without you getting involved!

Rudy: You've been doing fine? Would you like me to read you all the names of the people who have gone missing or died in tragic accidents, in your senior year alone? Head straight home please, we're having a family meeting.

[Bonnie hangs up. She is about to continue walking, when Kol arrives suddenly and pushes her against the wall, restraining her with a hand over her neck.]

Kol: No one can find the cure if you're too dead to find it.

[Kol vamps out and is about to attack Bonnie when she uses her magic to break the bones in his hand and body. She starts to lose control; her power causes balloons in the hallway to pop and the lockers to open, papers flying out of them. Bonnie, alarmed, runs off.]

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – CELLAR**

[Damon is still in the cellar, looking weak. He hears footsteps and sees Stefan and Willow.]

Damon: You coming to snap my neck again? Because I woke up feeling completely un-murderous, and I'm pretty sure that it's safe to set me free.

[Stefan throws a vial of blood towards Damon.]

Damon: Oh man, really? You practically bled me dry. At least spring for a bag or something. I'm thirsty.

[Stefan sets a water bottle between the bars of the door.]

Damon: Not exactly what I had in mind.

[Damon gets up, groaning, and walks over to grab the water bottle. He sees Klaus standing on the other side.]

Klaus: Hello, mate.

Damon: What the hell are you doing here?

[Klaus smiles.]

Klaus: Babysitting.

Damon: Oh.

Stefan: Give him a vial of blood every couple of hours, so he doesn't desiccate. If he gets too much strength back, or if he just annoys you, bleed him out again.

Damon: Silent treatment, huh? Is that your best shot? [to Klaus] He's still pissed at me for sleeping with Elena.

Klaus: You sure about that? 'Cause I saw him trying to sneak out of Rebekah's bed this morning, which would suggest to me that he's moved on.

[Stefan sighs.]

Damon: Well, well. Looks like my brother ripped out a page of my revenge-sex handbook.

Stefan: Well, why don't you two enjoy your little, uh, villain bonding time? I'll let you know when I get the dagger from Rebekah.

[Stefan leaves. He's walking down a hallway of his house when his phone rings. He stops to look at it; it reads "Elena". After hesitating, he decides to answer it.]

Stefan: Damon's fine. I locked him up with all the creature comforts he deserves.

Elena: That's not why I called. Kol just tried to kill Bonnie.

[Stefan walks out the front door.]

Stefan: What? Is she okay?

Elena: Yeah, she's just shaken up. She managed to hold him off, but Kol seems pretty intent on murdering everyone who's looking for that cure.

Stefan: Yeah, Klaus has me trying to convince Rebekah to give up her dagger so he can take care of Kol.

Elena: I don't want to just dagger Kol. I want Jeremy to kill him.

[Stefan looks back at the door, and then revs up his motorcycle, creating noise to cover their conversation.]

Stefan: What did you just say?

Elena: Bonnie has all this crazy new power. She thinks she can hold him long enough for Jeremy to get a clean shot.

Stefan: And then what, huh? Klaus and Rebekah will kill every one of us out of spite. They may be dysfunctional bickering lunatics, but they stick together no matter what.

Elena: That's why you need to find the dagger and use it on Rebekah. She can't come looking for revenge if she's laying in a box.

Stefan: Yeah, I can't do that.

Elena: I know _you_ can't because vampires can't use the dagger, but Matt can. It's not like she doesn't deserve it. And Bonnie thinks that she can get Klaus out of the picture, too, at least temporarily. Once we get this cure, none of this will matter because we can use it against them.

Stefan: All right, fine, but how do you plan to lure Kol in?

**A STREET – NIGHT**

[Kol is walking down a street listening to music on his phone when it rings. He answers it, and the shots alternate between Kol walking down the street and the inside of the Gilbert house.]

Kol: Jeremy Gilbert. Nice to see I'm still on your speed dial, mate. Hey, you want to meet up at the batting cages in Denver?

Elena: Actually, it's Elena Gilbert.

Kol: What a treat. Yeah, I was just thinking of all the clever ways I could have your brother killed, but I'd settle for ripping off his illustrated arm instead.

Elena: I need to talk to you – in person.

[In the background, Matt and Jeremy are preparing weapons.]

Elena: I wanna call a truce, in the name of Silas.

[Kol stops walking.]

Kol: You want to talk about Silas?

Elena: I'll meet you wherever you want. I'll come to you.

Kol: I'll tell you what. How about I come to you?

[The doorbell rings. Everyone turns in surprise. Jeremy cocks his gun and points it at the door. Kol is outside.]

Kol: If you want a truce, open the door and invite me in.

[Elena is slightly flustered by the unexpected turn of events and looks around for her next move.]

Kol: I'm waiting. Let me in and let's talk truce.

[Elena takes a blackboard down from the wall.]

Kol: Hello?

Elena: Wouldn't that be kind of stupid to invite you in?

[She starts writing on the board.]

Kol: On the contrary, I can't kill your brother with my own two hands, or I'll suffer the hunter's curse and spend the next 20 years trying to off myself in gruesome ways.

[Elena shows what she wrote on the blackboard to Matt: "Help Stefan find dagger". He leaves out the back door.]

Kol: And I've heard that vervain's back in town, so I can't compel you to kill him either. So I think it's fair to say you're semi-safe, for now.

[Elena has erased the board and written a new message for Jeremy. She shows it to him: "Get out. Get Bonnie".]

Jeremy: [whispering] I'm the only one that can invite him inside.

Kol: He's right, obviously.

[Elena goes and opens the door for Kol.]

Kol: You'd think being alive for over a thousand years would teach me some manners, but I couldn't resist stopping by.

Elena: If I let you in, my brother goes. You're not getting near him.

Kol: Fair enough.

[Elena looks back at Jeremy and nods. Jeremy nods.]

Jeremy: You can come in.

[Jeremy leaves through the back door.]

Kol: No gold medals for bravery, I see. You know the thing I love about the modern age is... music, anytime you like.

[Kol puts his phone and earphones in his pocket, and it gives Elena a view of the white oak stake, which is stashed in an inside pocket of Kol's jacket.]

Kol: So... this is the part where you offer me a drink so we can have a proper chat.

[Elena nods and makes way for Kol, then closes the door.]

**REBEKAH'S HOUSE**

[Rebekah is looking through a rack of clothing while Stefan leans against the doorframe.]

Rebekah: The colors, the fabrics... The eighties were just... tragic. You know, I think shoulder pads rival 17th-century puritan smocks for crimes against fashion.

Stefan: Looking for something to wear to the dance?

Rebekah: Aye. Are you asking me to a date?

Stefan: Actually, it was canceled.

[Stefan walks farther into Rebekah's room, and she is clearly upset.]

Rebekah: So why are you here? Back for more dagger talk?

[Stefan laughs.]

Stefan: Somebody has some trust issues.

Rebekah: It's called a healthy skepticism. I know you were trying to sneak out this morning. I'm not stupid.

Stefan: Sorry, I'm... I'm still trying to get used to this.

Rebekah: Do you regret it?

Stefan: No.

Rebekah: Do you want it to happen again?

Stefan: Maybe.

Rebekah: Even if I don't give you the dagger?

Stefan: You think that I would sleep with you just to get the dagger?

Rebekah: Don't give me that innocent look. You've done plenty to me in the name of getting what you want. Well, I guess I should pack up these racks. Just another failed attempt at getting to a high school dance.

Stefan: Why do you care so much about a high school dance?

Rebekah: I don't. I was just bored.

Stefan: Right. Well, we can still go, if you want.

Rebekah: Not if it's canceled, we can't.

Stefan: Since when do you care about the rules?

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – CELLAR**

[Klaus is walking around while Damon is lying down, tossing an object up in the air.]

Klaus: You know, none of this would be an issue if you'd have just done your job properly. I was perfectly willing to let you train Jeremy.

Damon: No, you weren't. Are you kidding? You got there day two. Do you know how hard it is to get these Xbox brains to focus?

Klaus: And then when I turned a room full of barflies into vampires for him to slaughter, you let Kol kill them.

Damon: Your brother problem, not mine, buddy.

Klaus: And whose bright idea was it to saddle Jeremy with a conscience, hmm?

Damon: Well, we couldn't have him trying to stake Elena in her sleep, now, could we?

Klaus: Ah, yes, for the love of Elena. How is it that she manages to overlook every horrific thing you've ever done? Is it willful ignorance, or perhaps something more pathological?

Damon: Some people are just more capable of forgiveness than others. Bet you score about a negative 500 in that realm.

Klaus: [smiling] Come on. There must be a secret. It can't just be the sire bond. What is it? Compulsion? Manipulation? [Damon doesn't reply.] What is it you say to her?

[Damon sits up.]

Damon: I think this has something to do with a certain blonde vampire. _I_ think you murdered Carol Lockwood, and _I _think you're worried that Caroline's never going to forgive you.

Klaus: You've done worse.

Damon: Debatable. See, I don't mind being the bad guy, because somebody has to fill that role and get things done. You do bad things for no reason. You do them to be a dick.

Klaus: Debatable.

[Damon shrugs.]

Damon: If you're gonna be bad, be bad with a purpose. Otherwise, you're just not worth forgiving.

[Damon lies back down and sighs. He goes back to throwing the object in the air.]

Klaus:( Looking over at Willow who is sitting against the wall just Thinking) How about you Love think that I deserve Forgiveness after everything That i've done.

Willow: Hey I don't judge People you know that its just a waste of time to think about the Past all we need to decide is what happens here and Now.

Klaus: Your Right Love the world isn't like it use to be any of us could die its only a matter of time and How you want to die is up to us.

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Kol is playing the video game, and Elena walks up behind him with a bottle of alcohol.]

Elena: Sorry, I had to dig up the old people alcohol.

[Kol turns around and pauses the game. He begins to walk over to the kitchen.]

Kol: Yeah, that's the problem with people today. They have no drinking imagination. Turn-of-the-century New Orleans – now, they knew how to make a drink.

Elena: You lived in New Orleans?

Kol: We all did, till Niklaus shoved a dagger in my heart.

Elena: Why? What did you do?

Kol: What makes you think I did anything? Has your alliance with my brother softened you to his horrors?

Elena: I don't have an alliance with Klaus. We had a mutual interest in finding the cure – that's all.

Kol: Had?

Elena: Yes. And I'm willing to give up looking for it if you promise to leave my brother alone. [Kol doesn't reply, and Elena picks up the mixer.] Now, can you teach me how to make this?

[Elena slightly smiles and Kol takes the mixer.]

Elena: I'll get some ice.

[Elena watches as Kol pours something into a glass. She opens the refrigerator and pulls out her phone. She has a message from Jeremy that says 'Trying to find her. KEEP KOL THERE.' She gets something from the fridge and closes the door. Kol is standing right next to her, startling her.]

**A STREET**

[Jeremy is hastily walking down the sidewalk, leaving Bonnie a voicemail.]

Jeremy: Bonnie, where are you? I called like seventeen times. Kol is in our house. We need you. Okay, I'm heading to your house now.

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Elena is holding a bowl of ice, and she offers it to Kol.]

Elena: Here you go.

Kol: Would you like one?

[She hesitates.]

Elena: Sure, why not?

[Kol puts the ice in the drinks.]

Elena: You're really good at that game. Definitely considering you've been locked up in a coffin for a hundred years.

Kol: [smiling] I'm a quick learner. Speedy reflexes. It's not much like the real thing, though, is it? [Elena looks up.] You've killed, haven't you? Or are you one of those Mary Sue vampires?

Elena: I've killed. Once. I'm guessing your number's a lot higher than mine.

Kol: You lose track over the years. So, are we going to talk about Silas, or just jibber-jabber?

[Elena gestures to the family room, and Kol walks over. Elena pulls out her phone. She has a text from Matt saying 'No dagger yet. Need time.'

**REBEKAH'S BEDROOM**

[Matt is rummaging through Rebekah's room for the dagger. He looks in all the drawers and her bathroom as well. He starts looking in the bed, but he can't find it.]

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Kol is drinking and leaning against the sofa.]

Elena: Nobody else seems to think Silas exists, so why do you?

Kol: I used to run with some witches. Africa in the fourteenth century, Haiti in the seventeenth century, New Orleans in the nineteen hundreds. They all knew about Silas; that he needed to stay buried. I actually hold witches in high esteem.

Elena: Yeah, but why Silas? Why are you so afraid of him?

Kol: They said if Silas rises, he'll unleash hell on Earth. I happen to like Earth just the way it is.

Elena: That's pretty biblical.

Kol: Well, that's the other problem with people today – they've lost faith. And in that loss, they no longer know who they should fear.

**BONNIE'S HOUSE**

[Bonnie is searching the house for her phone, but can't find it. Her dad walks in.]

Bonnie: I have to get to Elena's – have you seen my phone?

[He holds up Bonnie's phone.]

Rudy: I've got your phone, and I've got your car keys. And I told you, we are having a family meeting.

Bonnie: Is that something you read in a book? Because we have _never_ had a family meeting.

Rudy: I've let this go on far enough. Shane said you and your magic are like a ticking time bomb.

Bonnie: And I told you he's crazy.

Rudy: I lost your mother to witchcraft. I don't intend to lose you.

Bonnie: It's not your life, it's mine.

[They are interrupted as Jeremy pounds urgently on the door. Rudy goes to answer it.]

Rudy: Yeah?

Jeremy: Is Bonnie here?

Rudy: She's busy.

[He tries shutting the door, but Jeremy comes in anyway.]

Jeremy: It's important.

[Bonnie joins them in the foyer.]

Bonnie: What's going on?

Jeremy: I've called you like a hundred times. Kol is in our house.

[Bonnie, horrified, turns to her father.]

Bonnie: I have to go.

Rudy: I said 'no'.

[Bonnie is mad and breaks a light with her magic.]

Bonnie: Stop telling me what to do.

[She tries walking out the door, but Abby blocks the way, her eyes vamping out.]

Abby: No one's going anywhere.

Bonnie: Mom?

Rudy: Abby, please come in.

[Abby walks in. Bonnie still looks shocked.]

Bonnie: What are you doing here?

Abby: Your father called. Who's professor Shane? What has he been teaching you?

Jeremy: Bonnie, we don't have time for this.

Rudy: _This_ is a family matter.

[Jeremy turns to face Rudy.]

Jeremy: My sister's in trouble. We need Bonnie's help.

Abby: My daughter is _done_ helping Elena Gilbert. Now, get out!

Bonnie: Mom!

Abby: Answer my question. What lies has this professor been telling you?

[Jeremy pulls out a stake and tries attacking Abby, but Abby catches his arm.]

Bonnie: Don't! Jeremy! Hey, stop! Stop.

[Bonnie pulls Jeremy away from her mom and grabs his neck.]

Bonnie: Don't hurt her. She's my mom.

[The murderous stare starts to leave his eyes.]

Bonnie: All right? Look at me.

[Jeremy takes a step back, heading for the door.]

Bonnie: Just go, okay? I'm right behind you.

[Bonnie closes the door and faces her mom.]

Bonnie: You wanna talk? Let's talk.

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Kol is walking around and picks up a framed photograph of Elena and Jeremy joking around. He stares at it as Elena approaches him, carrying a bottle of wine.]

Elena: So we're out of gin, but I think this is a good year.

Kol: What if I said I don't believe you?

Elena: Okay, you caught me. I don't know anything about wine.

[Kol sets the picture down.]

Kol: It just seems odd that you'd be so willing to give up something you want so much.

Elena: I would do anything for my brother. And if what you're saying about Silas is true, what does it matter what I want if it puts everyone else in danger?

Kol: Well, this has been enlightening. Thanks for the drinks.

[Elena starts to panic as Kol moves to leave. She takes a step towards him as he opens the door.]

Kol: I'll take your request for a truce under advisement.

Elena: Is there any chance that you could be wrong about Silas?

Kol: Trust me, Elena. Some things are better left buried.

[Kol leaves. Elena sighs.]

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL – GYMNASIUM**

[Stefan and Rebekah enter the still-decorated gym. It is empty and dark.]

Rebekah: I think I saw a horror movie that started just like this. Did you know they play movies on TV all night long now? Hundreds of them. So much better than those silly black-and-white picture shows we used to go to.

[Stefan turns on the lights and music, and Rebekah smiles.]

Stefan: I dunno. I kinda miss the old ones. You got any requests for the DJ?

[Stefan looks down at his phone. He reads a text message from Matt: 'Still looking'.]

Rebekah: I'll let you pick. Nothing cheesy.

Stefan: Oh, that leaves out about half the decade.

[Stefan plugs his phone into the speakers.]

Stefan: Hope you like The Cure.

Rebekah: Funny. So is everything about the eighties so... excessive?

Stefan: It had its charm. "Say Anything" – Lloyd Dobler standing outside of a bedroom window with a boombox over his head, desperately trying to get back the girl of his dreams; "Princess Bride" – Wesley slays giant rats for love; "The Breakfast Club" – one detention turns a bunch of outcasts into allies.

Rebekah: So it was a decade of sentimental drivel, as well?

Stefan: Well, I was going to say love, friendship, the possibility of anything happening. _You_ would've loved it.

Rebekah: [smiling] And why is that?

Stefan: Because as much as we both hate to admit it, we care about those things.

[Stefan pulls out a small box.]

Rebekah: That better not be a corsage. I loathe corsages.

[Stefan opens the box. It's a koala corsage.]

Stefan: These were all the rage in the eighties.

[Rebekah laughs, and Stefan clips it to her dress.]

Stefan: Let's dance.

[Rebekah takes Stefan's hand, and they start dancing.]

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Jeremy walks in cautiously, holding up a gun loaded with wooden bullets. He closes the door and hears a noise. He's ready to shoot, but stops when he sees it's Elena.]

Elena: I'm sorry. He left. I mean, I – I tried to stall as long as I could.

[The doorbell rings.]

Jeremy: That's Bonnie. She was right behind me.

[Elena goes to open the door, but it's Kol.]

Kol: I've considered your request for a truce. Request denied.

[Elena slams the door in his face.]

Kol: [shouting] I'm sorry. I've already been invited in!

[He kicks the door open and walks in; Elena and Jeremy are gone.]

Kol: Hide and seek? Fine by me.

**BONNIE'S HOUSE**

Bonnie: Dad needs to mind his own business. He had no right to call you here.

Abby: It's not just your father, Bonnie. Witches talk; word gets around.

Bonnie: I found a new way to practice. It's unconventional, but I can handle myself, I promise.

Rudy: That's not what Shane said.

Bonnie: Shane is sitting in a jail cell right now. You're going to take his word over mine?

Abby: I have warned you about dark magic before.

Bonnie: It's not dark magic, it's Expression and I need it! We found a cure, Mom. There's a cure for vampirism. And I can do the spell to access it. I can save you, but I have to go – now.

Abby: I'm not the one that needs to be saved. You are.

[Abby rushes over to Bonnie and places her hand over Bonnie's mouth, drugging her with an herb. Bonnie passes out.]

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – CELLAR**

[Klaus has his phone out.]

Klaus: Your brother's lack of communication is infuriating.

Damon: It's one of his trademarks, like his brooding and his hair.

Klaus: I don't understand what's taking so long. I mean, how hard is it to steal a dagger?

Damon: From a vampire who's been stabbed as many times as your sister, I'd say difficult.

[Klaus sighs and tosses Damon a vial of blood.]

Damon: Sweet.

Klaus: You disappoint me, Damon. You're not trying very hard to get out of here. I expected more the daring escape artist, less the cell potato.

Damon: Well, I am compelled to kill Jeremy, so I figured it's probably smarter to sit here and chit-chat with you than bust out of here like the Hulk.

Klaus: How do you think Elena felt about that, by the way? Your inability to overcome Kol's compulsion for a single moment even though it meant saving the person she loves most in the world?

Damon: She's met me. She knows impulse control's not my strong suit.

Klaus: Still, must be hard trying to live up to Stefan. I remember when I compelled him to feed off Elena. He fought it so hard, he actually managed to resist. Now, that's love.

Damon: What do you know about love?

Klaus: I know that you're in love with Elena. But I think you're afraid of what might happen when we find the cure at the end of the rainbow. Personally, I don't see a fairytale ending for you. All I see is Stefan and Elena. I think you see the same thing.

[Damon doesn't reply, and Klaus' phone rings. He sees it's Kol and answers it. The shots alternate between Klaus in the cellar and Kol at the Gilbert house.]

Klaus: Well, if it isn't the happy homicidal maniac.

Kol: Did you know that your darling former blood bag and her brother are trying to kill me?

Klaus: What?

Kol: Don't pretend like you're not in on it. Your obsession to find the cure clearly trumps any sibling loyalty you once felt.

Klaus: I don't know what you're talking about.

Kol: I'm going to rip off Jeremy's arm and kill Elena just for sport. Then I'm coming for you.

[Kol hangs up and starts walking. Elena is at the top of the staircase with a crossbow and she shoots Kol in the leg. He groans in pain. She disappears upstairs with vampire speed. Kol pulls the arrow out of his leg and goes after her.]

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE – CELLAR**

[Angry, Klaus grabs Damon by the neck and shoves him against the rushing in the Cellar Confused]

Willow: What the hell's going on?

Damon: I don't know.

Klaus: What are Stefan and Elena planning?

Damon: I don't know. I've been stuck in the penalty box with you since yesterday. Stefan won't talk to me, and Elena won't come to see me, so maybe you're right. Maybe she's written me off.

[Klaus uses compulsion.]

Klaus: Tell me what you know.

Damon: I don't know anything about a plan.

Klaus: Stay here till I return.

Willow: Wait I'll Go with you

Klaus: Why should I let you come you could be trying to destrated me for all I know.

Willow: No I'm Not I don't now why they are trying to kill Kol but Nobody deserves to Lose family over selfish Gangs.

Klaus:( Looking at Willow with Admirtion) Come along then Klaus releases Damon and they leave, slamming the door. Damon coughs.]

Damon: I will stay here until you return...

[He looks down at the bottle of vervain-tainted water.]

Damon: ...or not.

[Damon leaves.]

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL – GYMNASIUM**

[Rebekah is kicking a balloon, twirling and having fun. Stefan comes back with a bottle of alcohol.]

Stefan: It's amazing what you can find stashed away in the teachers' lounge.

Rebekah: This song is not as terrible as the other ones.

Stefan: This song is the godfather of rock anthems, okay?

Rebekah: What's going on with you? You're...fun tonight.

Stefan: I can't listen to this music without thinking of my best friend, Lexi. We spent most of the eighties together. I remember this one time she snuck us backstage and compelled half the band to do tequila shots with us before the show. She was fearless, kinda like you.

Rebekah: So, you slept with her, too?

Stefan: No, it wasn't like that. I was just a better person when I was with her. I didn't think I'd ever feel that way again.

Rebekah: Until Elena?

Stefan: Until Elena. And now, that's over.

Rebekah: That look right there? That is why I don't let myself care.

Stefan: Well, you can say that, but we both know it's not true.

[A balloon pops and Stefan flinches.]

Rebekah: Don't worry. I'll protect you if Kol tracks his way to this abandoned dance.

[She pulls down her leg warmer and shows him the dagger. She notices the music has stopped.]

Rebekah: I think I'll choose the next song.

[Stefan stops her and takes her drink.]

Stefan: No, you know what? I have a better idea.

[He sets their cups down and points to the hallway.]

Stefan: That way.

[Rebekah leaves the gym and Stefan unplugs his phone. He texts Matt, typing 'R has dagger. Get here now.']

Rebekah: Well, are you coming?

[Stefan follows her.]

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Elena is in her bedroom. She pushes her dresser in front of her door, but struggles as Kol pushes back. Kol manages to shove the door open and Elena falls to the ground. With vampire speed she runs into the bathroom, shuts the doors behind her and locks it. Kol kicks open the door and finds Elena gone. He punches through the other door and finds Elena in Jeremy's room with Jeremy. Jeremy shoots Kol with a stake gun. Kol catches the stake.]

Kol: Missed.

[Jeremy shoots again, and Kol catches it with his other hand. Elena fires a pistol at him, shooting him multiple times.]

Elena: [screaming at Jeremy] Go!

[Jeremy runs, and she continues shooting Kol. Kol throws one of the stakes, hitting Elena in the thigh, and she cries out. Elena looks up, but Kol is gone. Jeremy is running through the hallway, but Kol appears and punches him. Back in Jeremy's room, Elena pulls the stake out of her leg. Kol throws Jeremy down the stairs, and Jeremy groans in pain. Elena jumps on Kol's back, but he tosses her against the wall. He rips out one of the posts from the railing and impales Elena through the abdomen, pinning her to the wall. She gasps in shock and pain, completely immobilized. Kol walks over to Jeremy, who is still grunting in pain on the stair landing.]

Kol: Now... about that arm.

[Kol drags Jeremy down the stairs by his feet. Elena pulls feebly at the stake, but can't move it an inch.]

**MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL – HALLWAY**

[Stefan is teaching Rebekah how to slide down the hallway like the characters do in the movie 'The Breakfast Club.']

Stefan: Like that.

[Rebekah laughs.]

Rebekah: This is ridiculous.

Stefan: Well, that's the whole point of The Breakfast Club slide. It's supposed to be ridiculous.

[Rebekah slides using vampire speed.]

Stefan: No, that's – that's cheating.

Rebekah: What is fun about hurtling down a hallway like a teenage imbecile?

Stefan: You're just gonna have to do it to find out.

[Rebekah smiles and sighs. She turns and has another go at it, but her shoes squeak against the floor – she can't slide in them.]

Stefan: All right, it's the shoes. Take off the shoes, you'll be fine, okay?

[Matt peers around a corner, waiting for Stefan to signal to him. Rebekah sighs and bends down to take the dagger out. Stefan quickly glances at Matt. Rebekah walks toward Stefan, holding the dagger.]

Rebekah: This is what you want, right?

[She gives it to him.]

Rebekah: Go ahead, take it. You're right. I do care. I want stupid koala corsages and a prom. I want to have kids with someone who loves me enough to stand outside my window with a stupid boombox. I want to be human. So let Klaus put down my brother. Let's go find the cure.

[Stefan looks at Matt before looking down, thinking. Eventually he pockets the dagger.]

Stefan: Come on. Let's go home.

[Stefan leads Rebekah out of the school. Matt stays hidden.]

**BONNIE'S HOUSE**

[Rudy pats a sleeping Bonnie's head. Abby is crushing something with a mortar and pestle.]

Rudy: You're drugging her?

Abby: Just enough to keep her down until I can get some witches here to clean her mind from that poison that professor's been teaching her.

Bonnie: That's not happening.

[Abby turns around to face an angry Bonnie.]

Abby: Bonnie, please.

[Bonnie holds out her hand, using magic on Abby. Abby gasps, feeling pain. The mortar breaks, and you can hear Abby's bones breaking. She screams, falling to the floor. Rudy puts his arm around her.]

Bonnie: I don't belong to the spirits anymore. I belong to myself. Sorry.

[Bonnie leaves, leaving her parents shocked.]

**GILBERT HOUSE**

[Elena is still trying to get the stake out of her abdomen, but it won't budge. Improvising, she braces her hands against the wall and pulls her body off of the stake. Downstairs, Kol has Jeremy strapped to the counter in the kitchen by his arms. Jeremy struggles against his bonds. Kol pulls a cleaver out of the knife block.]

Kol: Now, like I said, I don't fancy the hunter's curse, so I'm just going to chop of your arm. But don't worry, I'll heal you right up with a bit of blood after.

[Kol holds Jeremy's head against the counter.]

Kol: Sorry about the sting. Now, which arm is it? Is it left or right? I'll just chop of both to be safe.

[Jeremy closes his eyes as Kol raises the knife over him. Suddenly Elena appears and grabs Kol; the cleaver misses Jeremy and instead slices through one of Jeremy's restraints. Elena slams the cleaver into Kol's chest, shoving him against the counter. Jeremy releases his other arm and rushes to the sink. He grabs the spray hose and sprays Kol with the vervain water. Kol cries out in pain as the water hits him; Elena moves away. Jeremy keeps the water on Kol, and Elena takes the white oak stake from Kol's jacket, throwing it to Jeremy.]

Elena: Jeremy, now!

(Willow running inside the House)

Willow: Jeremy Elena NO

[Jeremy catches the stake and stabs Kol through the heart with it. Kol screams and bursts into flame. He continues to scream as he staggers through the kitchen and falls to the floor, then Falls to the Ground gasping as she feels alot of Pain and Death from Kol Dying grasping her heart. Elena notices that Jeremy sees something behind her, so she looks over to see Klaus standing at the open doorway, looking upset and angry.]

Klaus: What did you do?

Elena: We didn't have a choice. He was trying to cut off Jeremy's arm!

Klaus: Lies! He never would've gotten inside if you hadn't have set a trap for him.

Elena: You said you were going to put him down too.

Klaus: [furious] I was going to make him suffer on my terms! I'm going to burn this house to the ground. And then, when you try to flee for your lives, I'll kill you both without blinking.

Jeremy: You kill us, you'll never get to the cure. You'll _never_ be able to make any more hybrids.

Klaus: You really think I care for an instant about my bloody hybrids? I want the cure so I can destoy it. I would've killed you all the second we dug it up, but now I'm just gonna watch you burn instead.

[Klaus falls to the ground, crying out and falling to his knees. Bonnie walks in past him.]

Bonnie: Invite him in.

[They look at her, confused.]

Bonnie: Do it!

[Klaus gets up.]

Jeremy: Come in.

[Klaus falls forward as Bonnie magically pulls him inside and immobilizes him.]

Bonnie: Living room. Go!

[Elena and Jeremy run through the living and into the kitchen. Klaus follows, but he can't get into the kitchen. He punches at the air, but there is an invisible barrier. Jeremy pulls the white oak stake out of Kol, and he and Elena run to the door and Klaus continues to pound on the barrier.]

Klaus: Witch, you can't do this to me.

Bonnie: You have no idea what I can do now.

Klaus: I will hunt all of you to your end! Do you hear me? Do you!?

[Elena, Bonnie, and Jeremy Picking Up a knocked out Willow. Klaus pounds against the barrier futilely.]

**REBEKAH'S HOUSE**

[Rebekah is crying, having heard the news about Kol from Stefan.]

Rebekah: I don't believe you. Kol's not dead. He can't be.

Stefan: Listen, Rebekah, they didn't have a choice. Kol started this when he went after Jeremy. He went after you too, do you remember? I mean, he was never going to let us find the cure.

Rebekah: So you knew? This whole night, you knew?

Stefan: I'm not gonna let the people that I care about get hurt. Not Jeremy, not Elena, not even Damon. And you can hate me for it, but now he can't hurt you, either. And I want us to find this cure together, you and me. Not just for Elena, but for you. So that you can have what you want, be what you want. Be human again. Everyone deserves a second chance, right?

Rebekah: Why would I trust you?

Stefan: I don't know. I guess I could give you my word, but at the end of the day, you just need to take a leap.

**SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE**

(Willow is still knocked out from feeling the Death of Kol never before has she ever felt such Pain in anyone)

Elena: Why isn't Willow waking up she has been out for like a hour

Bonnie: I don't Now it may be because of her Empathy Power was to much for her.

[Jeremy is pacing, staring at his bare arm. Elena and Bonnie are on the sofa.]

Jeremy: It didn't work.

Bonnie: It took time for Finn's line to die off, remember? It'll work.

Jeremy: What if it doesn't?

Damon: Where's that Gilbert optimism?

[Damon walks over to Elena.]

Damon: Hi.

[Smiling, Elena hugs him.]

Damon: Sorry I missed all the excitement.

Elena: I'm just happy to see you.

[The front door opens and Stefan walks in carrying Silas' tombstone. He closes the door.]

Stefan: Looks like I didn't miss much. Got the Silas headstone.

Elena: We're just waiting for Jeremy's mark to grow.

[Stefan sets the stone down on a table while Damon watches him warily.]

Elena: Klaus is trapped in our living room.

Bonnie: Temporarily. I drew on the new moon to bind the spell. We've got three days to find that cure – four, max.

Jeremy: If we don't, we might as well look up Katherine Pierce and see if she wants some company in hiding, 'cause he _will_ come after us.

Elena: We'll find it. Now that we've got Rebekah taken care of, all we need is professor Shane, and then we'll have everything we need.

Stefan: Yeah, I didn't, uh... I didn't dagger her.

Elena: What? Why not?

Stefan: I didn't need to. She's on our side.

Elena: On our side? Did you really just say that?

Stefan: Yeah, she handed over the headstone. I mean, she wants to find this cure more than any of us.

Elena: Why would you possibly think that we could trust her?

Damon: Let me guess, she pledged her allegiance to you while you were naked in the sack?

[Everyone reacts silently. Elena looks shocked.]

Stefan: I bet you were just dying to get that out, weren't you, Damon?

Damon: Oh, was that supposed to be a secret? Maybe you should have made that a little clear while you were bleeding me dry in our cellar.

Stefan: Yeah, to keep you from _killing_ Jeremy.

Elena: Stop it, both of you.

Stefan: Now, why don't you tell her to calm down, Damon? You've managed to use that sire bond pretty well so far, haven't you?

[Damon punches Stefan in the face, knocking him down. Stefan gets back up and is about to hit Damon back when Jeremy starts screaming. Jeremy rips off his shirt, and the mark is growing.]

Jeremy: It's happening.

[Elena is shocked because she can see the mark.]

Elena: Oh, my god...

Jeremy: You can see it?

[Elena nods 'yes' as they watch the mark grow up his arm and across his chest.]

Damon: Here we go. ( Willow gasping as she wakes up from the Knock she got in her chest Elena rushing over to help her but Willow steps away from her with a Glare)

Willow: No offense or Nothing I really perfere that Nobody Touches me right now for all the Emotions from Kol nearly Killed me and I'd rather Not feel all your excitement of Finding the Cure because I can care less( Yelling angerly at them)

Elena: How can you say that It can make us human again and we don't have to worry about drinking or Killing anyone again we will be free.

Willow: Listen I like the way I am Nobody is going change me Finding the Cure is all Your Probelms Not mine all you doing is going to get yourselves killed and I refuse to watch you do it so Leave me out of this one( Leaving out of the House with a Slam of the Door)

Bonnie: She has a Point everysense we begin looking for the cure a lot of People has died Hybrids slaughter and the counicel at the farm Nothing good will come out of this hunt for the cure.

Damon: Yeah but we are doing it for Elena and who ever else wants the cure.


	13. Into The Wild

**Into The Wild**

ONE YEAR AGO

[Atticus Shane is running through the woods. An unknown man with tribal paint on his face is pursuing him. Shane comes to a stop on a large pile of rocks and spots a cave entrance. Excited, he runs to the cave, then looks behind him to find that his pursuer is nowhere in sight. He enters the cave, turning on a flashlight. Looking around, he finds strange writings on the walls, then notices a large hole in the middle of the floor.]

PRESENT DAY - THE ISLAND

[Shane stands on the beach, looking on at the island as the others unload from the boats on the shore.]

SHANE: [to himself] Congratulations. We made it.

[The others continue to unload, each with varying expressions of uncertainty and curiosity on their faces as they take in their new surroundings.]

[Damon is sharpening a knife on the beach when Shane approaches him.]

Damon: Couldn't they have hidden this cure in Hawaii? Where the hell did you take us?

Shane: Two hundred miles off the Nova Scotia mainland. If you recall, the whole point was to hide the cure on the world's most obscure, desolate island.

Damon: Oh yeah? I thought the whole point was that no one found Silas, the oldest, deadliest freak in the world.

Shane: Yeah, that too.

[Shane holds up sunscreen and offers it to Damon]

Shane: Sunscreen?

Damon: Is that a joke?

Shane: Right.

[Stefan is tying a knot with some rope, while Rebekah is standing there glaring at Elena as she walks is standing near the water Willow is wearing black leggings Brown sweater with blue vest on and Blue gloves her hair is in a Long pony tail and she is wearing leather hiking boots)

Stefan: You know, you're not really helping.

Rebekah: You're perfectly capable of tying a knot.

Stefan: You giving Elena the evil eye, it's not really helping

Rebekah: She killed my brother, tried to get you to put a dagger in my back. She's lucky all she's getting is the evil eye.

Elena: You know I can hear you, right?

Rebekah: You know I don't care, right?

[Elena stops walking, and vamp speeds towards Rebekah, grabbing her neck and pointing the white oak stake at her rushes between them and reflects Elena away from Rebekah with her Powers)

Elena: Willow why did you do that( Shock on her face)

Willow: Walk away from a fight Elena its Not worth it No more of this Pointless arguing.

[ Stefan offers to help Elena up, but she ignores him and walks away looking irritated. Elena shoves the white oak stake into her bag and Damon joins her.]

Damon: Looks like someone forgot her team-building exercises.

Elena: I'm not apologizing for not wanting her here.

Damon: You know Stefan just brought her here to make it seem like he's moving on. He wants you to think that he's over you, and he wants me to think that I can't get under his skin.

Elena: You know, you're right. With any luck, I'll only have to tolerate her for a few more days, and then we'll find the cure and I'll never have to deal with her again.

Damon: Human Rebekah... I can't imagine her without fangs.

Elena: You know, you've never talked about what you'll do with the cure, once we find it. Will you take it?

Damon: I don't like to speculate.

Rebekah: Why did you stop her from Killing me and I thought you weren't coming after the Cure.

Willow: I am only here to make sure you or Stefan gets but either way dosen't matter what I say Somebody is going get Killed looking for this Cure its best to be here when that happens.

Rebekah: Thanks Little Mage( Patting Willow on the back)

Stefan: Willow you really didn't have to come we will just find the Cure and then come back if all your here for is to Protect us( Putting his hand over her Shoulder) You have seem a little tired lately any way why.

Willow: I've been having nightmares before all this stuff Happened and its this island Its all coming true in my dream we are here the Cure is here I can feel it.

Stefan: Go Home if you want to gets some rest and you can check up on Klaus when you get back.

Willow: Thank you Stefan but I have to be here you are my friends regardless of how I feel about the Cure I will help you find it Okay.

Stefan: Okay I guess we will need your Interutuion on our side.

[Bonnie is taking pictures of Jeremy's tattoo with her phone.]

Bonnie: Sorry, if there was a less awkward way to do this, I would.

Jeremy: Doesn't bother me.

[Bonnie smiles]

Bonnie: These symbols must have been left for the hunters, so they can find the cure. And this must be the story of Qetsiyah and Silas. According to Shane, Silas asked Qetsiyah for help making a spell for immortality. She helped make him immortal, only to learn that he planned to use the same spell on another women, not her. When she found out, she freaked.

Jeremy: So, Qetsiyah killed the other woman?

Bonnie: Yeah, Silas was immortal. She couldnt kill him. So she trapped him in a cave, and buried him alive instead.

Jeremy: Does it say anything about the hunter's purpose in all this?

[Shane comes up behind them]

Shane: I was wondering when you'd ask. Qetsiyah created a cure for immortality, and then she buried it with Silas, hoping that he'd take it and die, and end up on the other side with her for all eternity. But he wouldn't give her the satisfaction. So, many centuries later, her descendants created the hunters to find him, cure him and kill him. You know what? I'll explain on the hike. Come on. We gotta get going.

[They all begin to hike through the woods]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Klaus is standing in the living room, looking at Kol's burnt corpse. He looks upset. Tyler walks in the front door.]

Tyler: Morning, sunshine. You look pathetic.

Klaus: Only until Bonnie's spell locking me in here wears off. Then I'll look different. Angrier, perhaps. Or I won't look like anything because I'll have gouged your eyeballs from their sockets.

Tyler: My friends will be back with the cure by then. So, I could shove it down your throat and make you mortal.

Klaus: I'm an Original. What makes you think my entire vampire bloodline won't be cured along with me? I.e., you.

Tyler: You know what I think? I think that's impossible. I think the moment you stop being a vampire, our whole blood connection to you is broken, and your sire-line ceases to exist. So, whatever happens to you, happens only to you, which means I can kill your ass and no one else has to die. Although I am still debating just how to do it.

[Klaus vamps towards Tyler, but can't get him due to the barrier.]

Klaus: I recommend drowning. There's nothing quite like the feeling of someone fighting for something as basic as human breath. And let me tell you, your mother was a fighter.

[Tyler glares at Klaus, who looks pleased with his taunting.]

THE ISLAND

[The group is still hiking. Shane gets out his phone but it beeps like it has no service.]

Shane: Satellite phone lost its signal.

Damon: Well, that's a good sign.

Elena: Is anyone else a little creeped out?

Rebekah: So then leave. Out of everyone, your presence is the least necessary.

Stefan: Please don't start.

Rebekah: I'm merely stating the facts. Jeremy has the spell on his body. Bonnie is the witch that unseals the cure. Shane is the human compass Willow is a Mage . You and I have the tombstone, which does god knows what. And Elena has no point.

Damon: What about me?

Rebekah: You have a nice behind.

[Damon smirks as though this is an acceptable way to be useful and Stefan smiles.]

THE ISLAND - NIGHT

[It appears to be hours later and the group is still hiking through the woods.]

Shane: Centuries after Qetsiyah died, there were these miners who were excavating a well on the island. Suddenly went mad. They bled themselves dry. No apparent reason. So, the legend spread that these miners, in exchange for a drop of their blood, saw visions of their lost loved ones in the well they were digging. The word traveled and explorers sought out the well to see if the legend was true.

Willow: So, the well was magic?

Shane: Well, you know, some people believe the voices of lost souls were just a wind vortex whipping through the caves, and visions were caused by inhaling the island's poisonous plant life.

Elena: And what do you believe?

Shane: I believe in magic. My wife and my son died within months of each other. And so... I decided to try the well out for myself.

[Cut to the flashback a year ago when Shane found the well. He uses a knife to cut his hand open and drip his blood down into the well.]

Shane: [voiceover] I offered up my blood and I waited.

[Shane continues to hold his bleeding hand over the well. Suddenly whispering voices echo around the cave, and Shane looks around.]

Shane: Hello? Hello?

Woman, whispering: Atticus?

Shane: Caitlin. Caitlin? Caitlin?

[Shane begins to rappel down into the well with some climbing gear. He continues to hear indistinct whispers echoing around him. He starts to panic, loses his grip on his rope and falls down onto the well floor. He shouts in pain, grunting as he tries to catch his breath back. A woman is standing over him.]

Caitlin: Hello, Atty.

Shane: Caitlin. [voiceover] I saw my wife. I saw her eyes, her smile. [back in present day] My blood let me see her again.

Damon: Yeah, got it. Don't eat the poisonous flowers. [He continues walking and the others follow.]

Shane: Wait. Stop. Stop! Stop. [Everyone stops] Is everybody paying attention? [He picks up a large rock] Our first lesson in survival. [He throws the rock and it triggers a net trap the swings up into the trees.] Stay together. Keep your eyes open.

[Everyone continues walking again. Jeremy, the last in the group, stops.]

Jeremy: Ugh, I'm out of water.

Elena: Here. Take mine.

Jeremy: A magic well? Seriously?

Elena: I don't know. I mean... We've all lost someone. The chance to maybe see them again? I kinda get it.

[Jeremy smiles sadly and takes a sip of his water while Elena turns and follows after the others. In the background a branch snaps and Jeremy turns to see a man with tribal paint on his face aiming an arrow at him.]

Willow: Jeremy!

[She vamp-speeds over to push him out of the way and the arrow misses. The man reloads his bow but suddenly he grunts and falls to the ground, a hatchet in his back. Willow runs back over to look at their downed attacker.]

Willow: What the hell just happened?

Jeremy: [rejoining her] Somebody just saved my life Thank You Willow for Saving me.

Willow: We stick together All of us and we will have a chance to leave this island Alive.( Patting his arms as she walks by him and then Jeremy follows behing her

[Cut to the group, all together again, arriving at a clearing in the woods.]

Stefan: What is this place?

Shane: According to island lore, a group of college kids came here for spring break. A few weeks later, they were all found dead, completely drained of blood.

Rebekah: Well, tragic for them, brilliant for us. Who sleeps where?

[The rest start to settle around the site while Damon talks to Shane]

Damon: Well, that's lovely. There's a mystery man with a hatchet lurking in the woods and we're just gonna camp?

Shane: We're safer here than we are hiking in the dark.

Damon: Let's just keep going. You know? Get the cure. Get in, get out. Where is it?

Shane: How stupid do you think I am?

Damon: Stupid enough to raise an immortal witch, so I'd say... incredibly.

Shane: You know, I'm shocked you even want the cure, considering you've got the most to lose once Elena's human.

[He walks off. Elena watches him leave and gets up to talk to Damon.]

Elena: Shane doesn't know what he's talking about.

Damon: Yeah, well we'll find out tomorrow.

Elena: Do you really think that I'm gonna take this cure, break the sire bond, and fall out of love with you?

Damon: No. I'm saying we don't know. And if we find it tomorrow, we will.

Elena: This cure is gonna change so many things. Jeremy's not gonna want to kill me anymore. We're finally gonna get rid of Klaus. Bonnie's mom isn't gonna be a vampire. And anyone who wants to take this cure is gonna have that option. Caroline, Stefan, you. If you want it. [she smiles at him expectantly]

Damon: No, I get it. Everything changes tomorrow. It'll be all unicorns and rainbows.

Elena: No, not everything. That's what I'm saying. Damon, not my feelings for you.

[She kisses him. They part and she touches his face. Damon puts his arms around her and they embrace.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline enters through the back door.]

Caroline: You're still here? What are you doing?

Tyler: Gloating.

[Tyler pours himself a drink. Klaus emerges from the living room and walks as far as he can within the confines of the spell.]

Klaus: Hello, Caroline. [She glares at him for a moment before looking back at Tyler.]

Caroline: Come home. Don't stoop to his level.

Tyler: He destroyed my life. I plan on being present for every second of his misery until I can kill him myself.

Caroline: Fine. You can gloat and multitask. This place is a disaster. Starting with a horrific burnt corpse.

[She finds a table cloth in a cabinet and she and Tyler use it to cover up Kol's body. Klaus watches them with a slightly tortured expression.]

Klaus: Tyler's mother is dead. So is my brother. We're even. [to Caroline] Call Bonnie. Get her to let me out of here.

Caroline: I will never, _ever_, help you.

Klaus: How quickly you forget the part where I saved Tyler from the misery of being a werewolf. Or the night your mother invited me into her home to save the life of her precious daughter.

Caroline: How delusional are you? You killed his_ mother_. And let's not forget that we're standing in a house where Elena's aunt Jenna used to live. Or did you think that your charm would make us forget how you killed her, too? You know what? No. I am not going to engage in this. You are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you.

[Suddenly Klaus vamp-speeds to pick up a nearby floor lamp, which he uses to impale Caroline.]

Tyler: No!

[Klaus swings Caroline over to his side of the magical barrier and bites her neck. She falls to the floor.]

Klaus: Now, that was definitely worth the calories.

THE ISLAND

[Rebekah joins Stefan, who is sitting in front of a campfire holding the headstone.]

Rebekah: Well, seven of us and no one thought to bring s'mores. What are you doing with that?

Stefan: We're a day away from finding the cure. I'm not letting it out of my sight.

[They hear sounds of animals screaming in the distance. Rebekah grabs onto Stefan's arm.]

Rebekah: Did you hear that? I swear this place is haunted.

[Stefan puts his hand on top of Rebekah's.]

Stefan: Um... you're crushing my arm.

Rebekah: [laughing] Okay. You got me. I'm a scaredy cat.

Stefan: You do realize you're an Original vampire, right?

Rebekah: Which is precisely why you should stop teasing me. I'm very powerful. What are you gonna do when Elena becomes human and comes running back to you? You said that you'd take the cure to be with her. You'd have children and grow old. Is that still true?

Stefan: Well, why do you want to take it? Aren't you the perfect vampire?

Rebekah: Isn't it obvious? It's all an act, Stefan. Being a vampire is miserable. I would give anything to be human. Normal.

Stefan: [he nods] If I take the cure... it wouldn't be for her. It'd be for me.

[Rebekah nods]

[In a shed, Shane picks up a lamp as Bonnie enters.]

Bonnie: I've been staring at pictures of Jeremy's tattoo and there's no spell.

Shane: Expression doesn't require a written spell. Just think of it as a way of accessing magic that already exists inside you. You just have to want it bad enough.

Bonnie: And I'm just supposed to trust you?

Shane: Bonnie, listen, I taught you Expression so that you could access the cure. I'll be right there with you the whole time, I promise.

Damon: [entering behind Bonnie] You didn't answer the trust part.

Shane: All right. Let me put it this way. You need me to help you through it, Bonnie. Because as you've demonstrated, Expression can get messy. Believe me when I say I've seen it get a lot worse.

Damon: How much worse?

Shane: When we lost our son in the car accident, my wife kind of lost it. She tried to resurrect his body using magic.

Bonnie: Your wife was a witch?

Shane: She was a powerful witch. And incredibly undisciplined.

Bonnie: And you never thought to tell me?

Shane: I just didn't want to scare you. The truth is, she tried to bring our son back using Expression, and it overwhelmed her, and she died.

Bonnie: [angrily] You taught me the same magic that killed your wife?

Shane: Yeah, but look, the upside is I've learned the warning signs, all right? I can keep Expression from consuming you.

Damon: Downside is, you turned her into a bomb that only you can dismantle.

Shane: Don't you think I know how this ends? I came here to raise Silas so that he could bring back the dead, but you're never gonna let that happen. The second I point to a cure, you're gonna kill me. Now Bonnie has to keep me alive so I can keep her alive.

[In a tent, Jeremy is lying awake when he sees a shadow pass over him - someone is outside. He sits up with his flashlight, when suddenly a man appears next to him, covers Jeremy's mouth and takes him before the screen goes black.]

GILBERT HOUSE

Caroline: Oh my god, oh my god. [She continues to repeat this as Tyler settles her down on a sofa.]

Tyler: Hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me. I can fix this.

Caroline: How? The only thing that can heal me is his blood! Oh my god...

Tyler: I know. I'll fix it.

[Caroline nods at him. Tyler stands to face Klaus.]

Tyler: She'll die if you don't heal her.

Klaus: Okay. [He bites into his wrist and extends his arms, palms up.] Beg me to save her life.

Tyler: Is this what you want? To remind me that I'm powerless against you? Fine. You win. I'm nothing. Now save her. Please.

Klaus: I'm sorry, mate. I didn't quite catch that.

Tyler: Please.

Klaus: Please...

Tyler: Please save her life.

Klaus: See, now I think you're just telling me what I want to hear. I mean, you did call me pathetic earlier. And wouldn't it be more pathetic of me to help now, knowing that hours ago, you announced your plan to kill me in a manner in which you're debating because you want it to have a certain amount of flair? I'm just asking.

Tyler: I'll be your slave again. I'll do whatever you want. Just help her.

Klaus: No.

Caroline: Get me out of here. I can't even look at him.

Tyler: [helping her up] Come on.

[Klaus watches them leave, looking unhappy.]

THE ISLAND - DAYTIME

[Everyone is searching for Jeremy]

Elena: Jeremy! [to Bonnie] Did you find anything?

Willow: He's not on the trail.

Shane: [holding up a bag] His gear's still here.

Stefan: [entering the clearing with Rebekah] He's not at the quarry, either.

Damon: Let's split up.

Bonnie: I'm gonna stay and try a locator spell.

Shane: Okay. I'll stay here. I'll make sure she's safe.

Damon: I'll stay here and make sure you're not lying.

[Elena looks at Stefan Willow and Rebekah, who glance at each other.]

Elena: Fine. We'll keep searching the island.

[Damon nods and walks off. Stefan and Rebekah turn around and start walking. Elena follows after them.]

[Shane is back in the shed, checking his phone for a signal again, but it beeps with the out-of-service tone. Damon enters behind him.]

Damon: Thought it didn't work.

Shane: Yeah. I'm just- just checking the signal.

Damon: So you can call someone? Like whoever took Jeremy?

Shane: This place has a habit of getting to you, doesn't it? [He shoves his phone at Damon's chest] See for yourself.

Damon: I'm done trusting you. [He pushes Shane down onto a chair with vamp-speed.] Where's the cure?

Shane: You know that magical well I was telling you about? Silas and the cure are buried deep below it.

Damon: So, you've seen it?

Shane: No. But you could say I heard it from a reliable source.

[Cut to flashback from a year ago. Shane is still lying on the ground, looking up at his wife.]

Shane: Caitlin. How is this happening?

Caitlin: You're bleeding.

Shane: Oh my god. Oh my god.

Caitlin: No. It's good. It's okay. It's what's keeping me here.

Shane: [back in the present] If a single drop of blood can give you a vision, could you imagine what two liters could do?

Damon: What does your dead wife have to do with a cure?

Shane: She's got nothing to do with a cure, but she has everything to do with Silas.

[Cut to flashback]

Shane: I'm so sorry I let things get out of control. I should've stopped you.

Caitlin: Sweetheart, it's okay. You wanted Sam back as much as I did. What if you had a second chance to bring us both back?

Shane: I can't, baby. I'm not a witch.

Caitlin: We have a witch. His name is Silas. If you set him free, he'll help those who have helped him.

Shane: Set him free from- from what?

Caitlin: He's entombed in the caves below us, but it's impossible to get him out without a spell. You need to get the spell.

Shane: [voiceover] And that's when she explained everything that I had to do. [cut to present day; Shane is standing up] Complete the hunter's mark to access the spell and empower a descendant of Qetsiyah to perform it.

[Damon shoves him back down onto the chair.]

Damon: Bonnie Bennett's related to this crazy-ass witch?

[Cut to Bonnie outside, kneeling at a campfire pit with what appears to be a T-shirt of Jeremy's. She closes her eyes in concentration and flames erupt in the pit. She tosses the shirt into the flames. She waits a few moments until the flames start to spread beyond the pit, and lead a path out into the trees. She stands and begins to follow the flames out into the woods, the wind blowing through her hair sounding like whispering voices.]

[Cut to Elena, Stefan Willow and Rebekah searching for Jeremy.]

Elena: Jeremy! Jeremy!

Rebekah: Why don't you yell louder? Maybe we haven't drawn enough attention to ourselves already.

Elena: I'm sorry, and how are you helping?

Rebekah: I'm stronger than you and faster than you and I'm quite certain I can charm the islanders a lot easier than you.

Elena: Not disagreeing on the easy part.

Willow: All right, we get it. You two hate each other. Can we just keep going, please?

Rebekah: I tried to be her friend, but somehow, I ended up with a dagger in my back because I'm the evil one.

Elena: Technically, you didn't achieve evil status until you killed me.

[Elena walks into a trip-wire and sets off a trap. Rebekah vamp-speeds to stop it from impaling Elena. They exchange glances as Elena tries to catch her breath.]

Stefan: Nice catch.

Rebekah: Thank you.

Elena: No, actually, thank you. This thing would've killed me.

Rebekah: I don't care what happens to you either way. But if you're gonna die, it might as well be epic.

Elena: I'm gonna go back and check on Bonnie, see if she found anything. Be careful.

[While Elena turns back, Rebekah swings the trap out of the way and continues on, Stefan and Willow watching her.]

[Cut to Shane and Damon in the shed.]

Damon: So you have the rock, hunter, Bennett witch. What about the dozens that died in sacrifice? Where do they fit into all this?

Shane: As you can imagine, that was not an easy pill to swallow.

[Cut to flashback]

Shane: Caitlin, it's me, the guy who refused to serve a meat course at our wedding. I can't- I can't orchestrate three massacres.

Caitlin: It isn't like that. You're merely leading these people so Silas can bring them back from the dead.

Shane: Why- why should they die just to be resurrected? That doesn't make sense.

Caitlin: The spell that brings me back requires a witch to channel an extreme amount of mystical energy. Energy that doesn't occur in nature.

Shane: Yeah, because it isn't natural. I'm sorry, Cate. I just- I can't do that to innocent people.

Caitlin: [reaching up to caress his face] Can you feel my touch?

Shane: How is this possible?

Caitlin: Because you believe it is possible. You believe that you can see me again. You don't have to take a single human life yourself, Atticus. All you have to do is convince someone to believe that it is possible that they can see a lost loved one again. And they'll do it for you. [Shane sobs into her hand]

[Cut back to present day]

Damon: Which is how you manipulated the pastor to blow up a farmhouse full of people.

Shane: He just wanted to see his wife again.

Damon: We need three massacres. Fire at the Young farm. Holiday hybrid slaughter. What mass blood-letting am I forgetting?

Shane: You're not.

Damon: You're not finished. Is that why you brought us all out here in the middle of nowhere? To complete massacre number 3?

Shane: It doesn't work that way, Damon.

Damon: I think you need to tell me where this magical well is.

Shane: You know I can't do that.

Damon: [looking over at some rope on the ground] Oh, I know. I know. [He slaps Shane's shoulder and walks away. Shane looks creepily unperturbed.]

CAROLINE'S BEDROOM

Caroline: [crying] It's getting worse. I'm sorry.

Tyler: No. It's my fault. I'm sorry.

Caroline: No. You didn't do any of this.

Tyler: I unsired the hybrids and turned them on Klaus. I should've just left it alone.

Caroline: You freed them, Tyler. People put their faith in you because you're a leader. Don't forget that.

Tyler: Then you trust me?

GILBERT HOUSE

[Tyler carries Caroline into the living room and lays her down on the floor. Klaus turns around.]

Tyler: You want to be in control, Klaus? Here. Now you get to be in control of her life. If you want her to die, fine. But then you can sit here and watch her die yourself.

[Tyler leaves the house. Caroline looks up at Klaus, who approaches her.]

Klaus: Nothing personal, love. If I cure you, that means victory for him. Don't worry. It won't be long now.

[Caroline, breathing heavily, closes her eyes.]

THE ISLAND - NIGHT

[Damon is still interrogating Shane in the shed]

Damon: Where's the cure?

Shane: Does it matter? I think we both know you'd rather just torture me. Torture gives you a sense of control, especially with your relevance slipping away. [Damon calmly breaks a metal rod in half] And look at you. Here you are, hours from Elena breaking her sire bond. You're starting to freak out a little bit. Listen, you want my advice? Leave. Go. Don't put yourself through this. [Damon whacks Shane with the halves of the metal rod] Agh! Fine. Okay. Let's say her feelings for you are real. How does that end? She's human. You're a vampire. [Damon strikes him across the face with the rod; Shane groans in pain.] It's doomed, Damon. See, you're not torturing me, man. You're torturing yourself by helping them find the cure.

Damon: I could kill you. Then no one would find it.

Shane: We've established that you can't kill me without sending Bonnie off the deep end. You can leave the island. Have a modicum of self-respect. Don't stay here and watch Elena walk away from you.

Damon: Right. Because if I'm not here, then I can't get in between you and whatever you're planning with Silas. Well, I'm not that easily manipulated, professor. And there is one flaw in your logic. [he bends down to talk in Shane's ear] I don't give a crap about Bonnie Bennett.

[Damon grabs Shane's head like he's about to snap it, but suddenly Elena vamp-runs in and pushes him away from Shane.]

Elena: [angrily] What is wrong with you? [Damon walks out of the shed without answering. She turns to Shane.] What did you say to him?

Shane: Your boyfriend's a maniac, Elena.

Elena: [tearing off the ropes binding him to the chair] Stop messing with my friends.

[She leaves the shed. Shane holds up his hand, flexing it, and smiles.]

[Elena follows Damon outside]

Elena: Shane is the only thing that's keeping Bonnie safe, and you try to kill him? And you wonder why Bonnie hates you.

Damon: I don't wonder, Elena, because I don't care. I don't care about her. I don't care about some lame-ass cure for vampires, either.

Elena: How can you say that right now?

Damon: Because I don't want you to be cured.

Elena: I'm not fighting with you about this anymore. Being human isn't gonna change my feelings for you.

Damon: Fine. Say they're real. Say you've become human and you still love me. Then what? You grow old. You die. I stay a vampire. Face reality, Elena. We don't work.

Elena: So, things aren't easy and you're just gonna push me away now? That's what you do, Damon. You think that you don't- you don't deserve something, so you ruin it. I'm not gonna let you pull that this time.

[Damon turns around and starts walking away.]

Elena: Take the cure with me. [Damon stops] That's how much I know this is real. That's how certain I am that I'm going to love you even after this is all over. Take the cure. Be human with me. We can be together. Grow old together. This doesn't have to be hard anymore.

Damon: [still facing away from her] That's not me, Elena. That's Stefan. You know, I used to miss being human. Now I can't think of anything more miserable on Earth.

[Damon walks away. Elena is clearly upset.]

[Cut to Stefan Willow and Rebekah still hiking through the woods.]

Stefan: Haven't we been through here before?

Willow: It all looks the same to me.

[One of them steps on a rock that triggers another trap, this time a spear that flies out of nowhere. Stefan vamp-speeds Rebekah out of the way and it hits a tree. They gasp for breath, Rebekah's back to another tree.]

Rebekah: Thanks, but that wouldn't have killed me.

Stefan: Sorry. Force of habit. [His hand is on her waist, his face inches from hers.]

Rebekah: Don't be a tease. Elena could be lurking somewhere in the woods.

Stefan: Did you mean what you said? About a cease-fire?

Rebekah: [walking out of his range] Why do you all assume that I hate Elena so much?

Stefan: Well, I mean, you did run her off a bridge.

Rebekah: You all seem to forget that Elena's death was the only way to save my family. I did the same thing that every one of you would've done to protect the people that you love. And before you cast me as the bad guy, maybe you should remember that Elena's helped to kill not one, but two of my brothers. Maybe we're not as different as everyone's making us out to be. Jeremy's not here. I'm going back.

[She turns and walks away, leaving Stefan looking pensive.]

Elena: [entering her tent] Bonnie? [There's no response; she runs out to the shed, which is likewise empty. She walks out to find Stefan and Rebekah have returned.] Where is everyone?

Stefan: What are you talking about?

Elena: Well, Bonnie's not here and Shane's stuff is all gone.

Rebekah: Oh my god. [She vamp-runs over to her bags.] The tombstone's gone.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline is lying on the sofa, breathing raspily. Klaus stands across the room.]

Caroline: [weakly] If you don't feed me your blood, I'll die.

Klaus: [not looking at her] Then you'll die, and Tyler will have learned his lesson the hard way.

Caroline: How could you do this to him? To his mom? To me?

Klaus: I'm a thousand years old. Call it boredom.

Caroline: I don't believe you.

Klaus: Fine. Then maybe it's because I'm pure evil, and I can't help myself.

Caroline: It's because you were hurt. Which means that there is a part of you that is human.

[Klaus approaches her and sits on the table next to the sofa.]

Klaus: How could you possibly think that?

Caroline: Because I've seen it. Because... I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all the horrible things that you've done.

Klaus: But you can't. Can you?

Caroline: I know that you're in love with me. And anybody capable of love is capable of being saved.

Klaus: [His eyes glistening, he looks away.] You're hallucinating.

Caroline: I guess I'll never know. [Her breathing catches.]

Klaus: Caroline?

[Her breathing is labored then weak and fading. For a moment longer Klaus looks torn, but finally he lifts Caroline into a sitting position, sits behind her, bites open his wrist and puts it to her mouth and she starts drinking. Klaus smooths her hair as she regains strength and continues to drink.]

THE ISLAND

[Rebekah is rifling through bags, breathing heavily with a panicked look in her eyes. Elena enters behind her.]

Elena: What are you doing in my tent?

[Rebekah vamp speeds over to her and grabs her by the throat.]

Rebekah: Where's the tombstone? What have you done with it?

Elena: What are you talking about?

Rebekah: Like it's not bloody obvious? All you people ever do is betray me and here you go again!

Stefan: [entering the tent] Let her go. She didn't take it.

[Rebekah releases Elena.]

Rebekah: Was any of this real? Or was it just a ploy to distract me while Shane ran off with the tombstone?

Stefan: You think I would do that? You think I would let some psychopath run off with the cure? Every single moment of my last 146 years has been ruled by the pain of being a vampire. [Elena looks around at him.] And this cure ends that. It ends the guilt and it ends the suffering. And you really think I would jeopardize that?

Rebekah: Fine. You didn't take it. But that doesn't mean I trust her.

[Rebekah and Elena stare at one another for a moment. Finally, Elena bends down and lifts up some material, and withdraws the white oak stake from under it.]

Elena: I didn't take it, but here. [she extends the stake toward Rebekah] Consider this a peace offering.

Rebekah: Don't you get it, Elena? There is no peace. We're all screwed.

Elena: Exactly, Rebekah. We're screwed. Bonnie's gone. Shane's got the tombstone. Jeremy's missing. Who knows if Damon's coming back. So, us three, right here, this is all we've got. So we're either in this together... or it's over. For all of us. [She holds out the stake to Rebekah again and she takes it] Wat where did Willow go( Walking out of the Tent they find Willow's Backpack on the ground where the Forest trails is) Oh No Not again.

[Cut to Shane running through the woods, holding the tombstone. He meets the man who took Jeremy, who is gagged and tied up but walking while the man pulls him along.

Shane: Jeremy. That was a bit of a scare yesterday. [to the man] Thanks for fending off his attacker.

Man: His attacker?

Shane: Jeremy was attacked by an islander. I assumed you were his hatchet-flinging guardian angel.

Man: No, that wasn't me.

Shane: Well, then I guess there's somebody else on this island who's desperate to keep our hunter alive.

[Bonnie stumbles upon the three of them.]

Bonnie: How did I get here? What the hell's going on?

Shane: I see your locator spell worked.

Bonnie: The path behind me-

Shane: Magically disappeared? You can thank the talents of Massak. He's a witch. Should you try to escape, he'll ensure that you never find your way back. So, the gang's all here. Silas awaits.

[Cut to Damon walking through the woods. Suddenly an arrow shoots through the trees and lands in Damon's arm. He groans in pain and pulls it out.]

Damon: You gotta be kidding me.

[A man jumps him and throws him to the ground. They both get back up and go at each other. Damon manages to pin the man down, straddles his back and pulls at his head. He notices the man's hand on the ground has the hunter's mark on it.]

Damon: You're one of the Five.

[The man gets free of Damon's chokehold, flips him over and snaps his neck. He stands over Damon's body.]


	14. Down The Rabbit Hole

**Down The Rabbit Hole**

ON THE ISLAND

[Vaughn has Damon tied up to a tree with ropes soaked in vervain. Vaughn crouches over a campfire while Damon struggles against his bonds, groaning in pain.]

Vaughn: Something botherin' you?

Damon: Would you believe me if I said mosquitoes?

Vaughn: Aye, I would. How does it feel when a relentless eating machine is draining the blood from your veins?

Damon: Itchy.

Vaughn: Your friends from Mystic Falls think you're funny, Damon?

Damon: You obviously know who I am and where I'm from. Have you been spying on me?

Vaughn: Aye, I have. [gets up] You Willow and Stefan, Elena, your witch, Bonnie. Do you need her to cast the spell written on your pal, Jeremy's hunter's mark... [sits down again] ...the tattoo that looks exactly like this?

[Damon looks at Vaughn's tattoo.]

Damon: You wanna know something, just ask.

Vaughn: I've been killing vampires my entire life. Still, this thing refused to reveal itself to me. That was, until three days ago and it just magically completed for no apparent reason.

Damon: Come on, man. Do I look like I know anything about tattoos? Look at my skin. It's flawless.

Vaughn: Ah! You're not taking me seriously. [walks over to Damon] I don't blame ya. You don't know me. [He holds up a pointy wooden stick that he's been holding over the fire] So let me introduce myself. [he stabs Damon's neck with it] My name is Galen Vaughn, and you'd better start talkin'.

[Cue title card and opening credits]

THE ISLAND

[Elena, Stefan, and Rebekah are on the beach. Elena is on the phone with Caroline.]

Caroline: [over the phone] Tell me you're not serious.

Elena: I wish I weren't.

[Cut to the Gilbert house, where Caroline is on the phone while Klaus remains trapped in the living room. The shots alternate between Caroline in the Gilbert house and Elena on the island throughout their conversation.]

Elena: [over the phone] When we got back from looking for Jeremy, Shane and Bonnie were gone too. [on the beach] Shane needs Bonnie to cast a spell on Jeremy's tattoo in order to find the cure, and he managed to sneak them both out from under our noses.

Caroline: Well, where's Damon in all this?

Elena: [over the phone] We had an argument. [on the beach] I thought he was just taking a walk, but then when we went to the beach, we saw signs of a struggle.

Caroline: Meaning what?

Elena: Meaning somebody probably jumped him and then grabbed him Willow is even Missing we don't now where she went.!

Caroline: Do you think Shane took them?

Elena: No, I mean, he's not strong enough to take Damon on, even with the element of surprise. He must have someone, or at least a few someones helping him.

Caroline: I'm so sorry. I wish I was there to help.

Elena: Well, maybe there's something you can do from home.

Caroline: Anything. Tell me.

Elena: So Shane's looking for the cure. We think we can find him. We have pictures of Jeremy's tattoo, but we just can't translate the map.

Caroline: Unless you get the Hunter's Sword from Klaus.

Elena: [over the phone] Exactly.

Rebekah: He'll never give up the sword.

Stefan: Yeah, but if anyone's gonna get him to give it up, it's Caroline.

Rebekah: He will _never_ give up the sword, not even for Caroline. He's terrified we'll use the cure against him to make him mortal, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't want any of us to derive a moment's worth of happiness from being human.

Stefan: Well, maybe he doesn't have to give it up. I mean, Klaus is stuck in Elena's house by Bonnie's spell. He can't go anywhere. There's only so many places you can hide a three-foot piece of metal.

Caroline: I'll find it, don't worry. Just e-mail me photos of Jeremy's tattoo. I'll find the sword, and I'll call you back.

Elena: Thank you, Caroline.

Caroline: Bye. [she hangs up]

Klaus: [smirking] Need my help with anything, love?

Caroline: Nope.

[Caroline strides out of the house without looking at Klaus, leaving him looking slightly amused.]

ON THE ISLAND

[Shane, Bonnie, Jeremy, and Massakare walking towards the cave entrance, Shane leading the way. Inside, they reach the hole they have to climb down into.]

Massak: This is as far as I go.

Shane: We're on the brink of a monumental event in human history. We're going to raise the most powerful immortal creature that ever was. Come on, our work's not done yet.

Massak: Mine is. You said get the kid and the witch. I did. I wanna get paid now.

[Shane opens his bag and pulls out the tombstone. He walks over and hands it to Massak. Massak looks over at Bonnie and Jeremy.]

Massak: I'll say a prayer for your souls.

[Massak leaves quickly, and Bonnie turns to Shane.]

Bonnie: [angrily] That's what the tombstone was for? To pay off a mercenary?

Shane: The core of that tombstone is made up of Qetsiyah's calcified blood. In some witch circles, that stone's more valuable than the Hope Diamond. So... so who wants to go down first?( Hearing someone come inside the Cave Willow runs in and stands in front of Bonnie and Jeremy)

Willow: What do you think your doing with My friends shane thought you can fool me about this whole Finding silas thing.

Shane: Well you are a Smart one to have found out what I Planned that is why you went off alone did you even though you don't want the Cure you will do anything to see the others Get it and let them be Happy

Willow: Yes I would Let them Go Shane.

Shane: I can't do that not until we reach Silas so lets go down and find the Cure shall we.

(Bonnie and Jeremy look at Willow and they Nod)

Bonnie: Its Okay Willow we will get the Cure and this will all be over with.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline and Tyler walk into the house. Caroline has a laptop in her hands while Tyler has the sword wrapped in a blanket. Klaus is sitting on the coffee table.]

Klaus: Well, if it isn't little orphan Lockwood. Come to show how laughably impotent you are against me?

Tyler: I'm just trying to help my friends find the cure.

[Caroline sits on the couch, and Tyler reveals the sword from the blanket.]

Tyler: Found this in your attic.

Klaus: And you think finding the sword brings you closer to the cure?

Tyler: You tell me. I was playing around with the handle on the ride over, and I found this.

[Tyler unwraps the leather on the top of the sword, revealing some sort of turning device. Klaus gets up and walks over to Tyler.]

Klaus: And what do you think 'this' is?

Caroline: [gets up] It's called a cryptex. [Tyler looks at her.] I've seen The da Vinci Code. You turn the different sides to the different symbols to get the translation on the other side. [turning to the table] And with the magic of the internet, Elena sent over these. [She holds up print-outs of Jeremy's tattoo.] So now all we have to do is cryptex away. [sits down again] If you happened to want to help, we wouldn't stop you.

Klaus: Right. Well, might I suggest using the magic of the internet to purchase an Aramaic-to-English dictionary from your nearest retailer. [Klaus smirks.]

Tyler: [turning to Caroline] What's Aramaic?

Caroline: It's a dead language. It hasn't been used since, like, biblical times.

Klaus: Qetsiyah's native tongue, I'm guessing. You know, even if you had the best dictionary in the world, it could take days to translate. [sits down] Perhaps weeks. _"In bas so-teen-too ara-ma-eet."_

Caroline: What does that mean?

Klaus: [grinning] "If only you spoke Aramaic."

ON THE BEACH

[Rebekah is raising her cellphone in the air but gets only a busy signal and gives up. Elena and Stefan are sitting and talking.]

Elena: And once again, everyone's life is in danger looking for this cure because poor Elena can't deal with being a vampire.

Stefan: No. Everyone's here because they want to be. Not just for you, but for themselves too.

Elena: Stefan, why didn't you tell me that you wanted the cure for yourself?

Stefan: I mean, why wouldn't I want to take it? I've seen every side of vampirism there is. The power... the misery, the guilt. In the long run, even the good parts kind of suck, too.

Elena: Yeah, I mean, I know why you would want to take it, but what I'm saying is... why didn't you tell me?

Stefan: Because it had nothing to do with you. I mean, you know how much I wanted a human life with you. Being human myself, being normal - that's something I've wanted since long before I met you.

Elena: Well, I'm glad you told me now.

Stefan: Yeah, what's a deeply buried personal secret between friends, right?

Elena: Between friends? I like that.

[Elena smiles at Stefan and reaches for his hand as Rebekah watches from a few yards away.]

SOMEWHERE IN THE WOODS

[Damon is still bound by the vervained ropes, leaving him no choice but to walk with Vaughn through the forest.]

Damon: Mind telling me where we're going?

Vaughn: At the wishing well lies an entrance to a crypt. In the crypt lies Silas. And with Silas lies the cure, which will allow me to kill Silas, bring the mission of the brotherhood of the Five to an end. You're my leverage, Damon; I use you to get your witch friend to open the passage to Silas' crypt for me.

Damon: What a minute, you're using me to get to Bonnie Bennett? Whoa, brother, ha! You picked the _wrong_ vampire.

Vaughn: I guess we'll see about that.

Damon: Here's the deal, Shrek. My witch friend will open the passage for you. No leverage necessary. We don't care about Silas. All we want is the cure, so you cut us in on your share, and we'll get out of your hair.

Vaughn: You really don't understand, do you?

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline has the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo and index cards of the Aramaic symbols lying on the table. She has her computer open and is sitting with Tyler.]

Caroline: Okay, this is it. We've translated all the symbols on the tattoo. [she reads the translation] "Passage inside... requires a young senator, and a pretty flower." [irritated] Okay, none of this makes sense!

IN THE WOODS

Damon: [in a slight accent mocking Vaughn's] No, I don't understand, so why don't you explain it?

Vaughn: Silas is immortal. I have to cram the cure down his throat in order to kill him.

Damon: Yeah, what does that have to do with me and my friends?

GILBERT HOUSE

Klaus: [speaks Aramaic, then the English translation] "Requires a powerful witch and a hunter in full bloom."

Tyler: What are you doing?

Klaus: I don't need to tell you my reasons. Caroline. Bring my sword over here.

IN THE WOODS

Vaughn: I need to use the cure against Silas. Your friends, they can't exactly have it, now, can they?

Damon: So you use it on Silas, and we'll use it for whoever wants to use it.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline has brought the sword close enough for Klaus to read the cryptex.]

Klaus: "Silas rests on the far side, the means of his destruction at hand." [He glances at the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo on the computer screen.] Turn the cryptex to the right. [Caroline obliges] Stop. The top of the hilt reveals a key to a nautical map. Turn it to the left. [she turns it] Now turn the other piece. [she does] There's something else.

IN THE WOODS

Damon: You don't want to share it with us?

Vaughn: Even if I wanted to, I couldnae.

Damon: And why can't you share it?

Vaughn: So it is written.

GILBERT HOUSE

Klaus: [speaks Aramaic]

Caroline: What does it mean? [Klaus smiles at her] Klaus, what does it mean?

IN THE WOODS

Vaughn: There is only one dose.

THE CAVE

[Willow is lowering herself down into the lower chamber of the cave in a harness attached to a rope. Suddenly she loses her grip and falls the rest of the way down, landing painfully on her hand. Jeremy, already down, rushes over to her.]

Jeremy: You okay?

Willow. Yeah, I just slipped. [She lifts her hand and groans; her glove is torn and bloody. Jeremy rips off a strip of his T-shirt and helps Willow pull off her glove. Her hand is bleeding profusely. He uses the fabric to make a quick tourniquet for her hand.]

Jeremy: It's okay.

Willow: Thanks. [She chuckles as Jeremy helps her up; she unhooks the rope for her harness.]

Shane: [from above the hole's opening] Hey, guys, I'm coming down.

Jeremy: [quietly] Hey, Bon. What do you think's gonna happen once you cast a spell on my tattoo and there's nothing in between Shane and Silas?

Bonnie: Do you trust me?

Jeremy: Yeah, of course.

Bonnie: Then trust me when I promise I won't let Shane raise Silas.

Jeremy: [looks up briefly as they hear noises from above, lowers his voice even further] Just don't do anything stupid. If your Expression gets out of hand, Shane is the only one that could help you keep it in control.

Bonnie: Don't worry about me. I'm fine. But if Shane tries to lift a finger on his hand to hurt either one of us... I'll kill him myself.

[They prepare to keep moving. The camera zooms in on the spot where Bonnie landed, where her blood has soaked the floor of the cave. It seeps through a crack in the floor, dripping down to a chamber below, into the mouth of a figure that resembles a sarcophogus.]

THE ISLAND

[Rebekah is still on the beach when her phone rings.]

Rebekah: Hello?

Caroline: [over the phone] Hey, it's Caroline. We have the translation of the tattoo. [cut to the Gilbert house] We're emailing you pictures of the map and instructions right now.

[cut back to the beach; Rebekah checks her phone and receives the email.]

Rebekah: Got it. Thanks.

Klaus: [over the phone] Actually, it was me.

Rebekah: [cut to the Gilbert house; over the phone] Nik, you helped?

Klaus: You sound so surprised, little sister.

Rebekah: [on the beach] Shouldn't I be? I mean, you don't want me to be human. You don't want any of us to be human. Why would you help us find the cure?

Klaus: [at the Gilbert house] Maybe I finally realized the longer I stand in the way of what you want, the longer you'll continue to hate me. Perhaps I want my sister to finally know happiness.

Rebekah: [on the beach] Fool me once, shame on you; fool me a hundred times-

Klaus: [at the Gilbert house] No more fooling. No more games. I hope you get to live, and die, as you wish.

Rebekah: [nodding] So do I.

Klaus: [at the Gilbert house] There is one more thing, Rebekah. [Caroline and Tyler look up; Klaus speaks quickly] There is only one dose of the cure. You need to find it first and take it. It's the only way you'll- [Tyler rushes to end the call]

Rebekah: [on the beach] Nik. Nik!

IN THE WOODS

[Damon is still walking ahead of Vaughn, who gives him a little shove.]

Damon: You touch me again-

Vaughn: And you'll what? Threaten me? Sorry if you're upset about the cure, Damon, but we've got road to cover.

Damon: I don't care about the cure. In fact, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to be a vampire. You know what? If I wasn't a vampire, then I wouldn't be able to do 9 of the things I'm gonna do to you when I'm free. [Vaughn shoves Damon again] Make that 10.

Vaughn: Right.

Damon: All right, I admit, okay? My friends want the cure, and I want them to have it, and I get very upset when I can't provide for my loved ones. But tell me something, Vaughn, if all you're worried about is Bonnie the teenage witch, then why'd you save Jeremy and Elena yesterday?

Vaughn: How did I do that?

Damon: Big guy. White paint all over him. You stuck a hatchet in his spine.

Vaughn: I don't remember doing such a thing.

[Vaughn pulls on the rope but Damon resists, refusing to walk]

Damon: We're on a remote island. There's you, me, and a bunch of unpleasant locals. You expect me to believe that someone else took out that monster truck of a human being that went after Jeremy and Elena?

Vaughn: I'm telling you, it wasnae me.

[Vaughn shoves Damon forward again, but they stumble upon a body - Massak, clearly dead with his throat slashed.]

Damon: Was that you?

Vaughn: No. You?

Damon: No.

Vaughn: [looking around] Well, I reckon there really is someone else on this island.

THE CAVE

[Shane joins Bonnie Willow and Jeremy in the new chamber, all of them holding flashlights.]

Shane: It's just amazing, isn't it? Once we raise Silas, all of our sacrifices will have been worthwhile; we'll all have what we want.

Bonnie: Or he'll kill us all.

Shane: Listen, you're going to see I'm right. Just so you don't get any ideas, remember, anything happens to me, something a lot worse will happen to you.

Willow: All right, where is this stupid magic passage she needs to open?

Shane: Just look for anything that looks out of place, all right? Anything not occurring in nature like a - like a drawing or an inscription or a... geometrically perfect circle!

[Shane crouches to the ground and brushes away dirt and debris to reveal a circle carved into the ground.]

Shane: [slapping the ground] This is it! This is the spot.

[Jeremy Willow and Bonnie share a look.]

ON THE ISLAND

[Rebekah, Elena, and Stefan are walking.]

Elena: What did Caroline say?

Rebekah: I don't know. We lost the signal. Come on, this way.

[They come to the edge of a cliff and stop.]

Rebekah: [holding up the phone] We need to get down and across. Advantage, vampires: all we have to do is jump.

Elena: Wait, wait. Um... maybe you should leave the map behind. In case you fall, you don't want anything to happen to the phone.

Rebekah: Are we doing this again? I thought we were a team?

Stefan: [interrupting] Guys, we don't have time for this. Elena, you go first. We'll be right behind you.

[Elena hesitates before she takes a running leap off the edge. After falling a huge distance, she lands on her feet, stumbling only slightly. She looks back up the cliff. Stefan is about to jump when Rebekah throws out her arm and stops him.]

Rebekah: There's something you should know about the cure.

THE CAVE

[Bonnie has her hand on Jeremy's bare chest where the tattoo is. Her other hand is in Jeremy's. Her eyes are closed.]

Shane: You're doing it, just breathe, all right? Focus on what you _can_ do. Don't be afraid of what you can't.

Jeremy: You can do this. Remember, just like you taught me. You're in control.

[Bonnie nods, reassured]

Shane: That's it. It's just like drawing breath. Now just pull the power into you.

[Bonnie and Jeremy breathe deeply as his tattoo begins to fade away.]

IN THE WOODS

[Vaughn is still pulling Damon along. They come to a stop as Vaughn's tattoo begins to disappear.]

Vaughn: Looks like your witch is casting her spell.

THE CAVE

[Bonnie looks at Jeremy before closing her eyes again. Rocks begin to rain down around them as the ground shakes. Shane runs off, ducking for cover.]

AT THE CLIFF

[Elena is still waiting for Stefan and Rebekah to jump down.]

Stefan: So you're sure that Klaus is telling the truth? That there's only one dose of the cure?

[Rebekah gently nods.]

Stefan: Well, I guess that's what happens when you're dumb enough to hold out hope.

Rebekah: There's still hope for one of us. But even if I felt pity for you, if I wanted to ease your pain so I gave you the cure to take for yourself, you'd give it to Elena, wouldn't you?

[Stefan doesn't reply, tacitly revealing his answer]

Rebekah: That's what I thought. Well, I'm sorry that it couldn't work out the way that we all wanted it to.

[Stefan looks confused, and Rebekah snaps his neck and his body falls to the ground. Elena watches in horror from the bottom of the cliff.]

THE CAVE - LOWER CHAMBER

[Jeremy gets up as dust and debris continue to fall.]

Jeremy: Bonnie! Willow!

Bonnie: [from behind a rock] I'm fine. [smiles] I

Willow: I'm here. Look! It worked!

[They look over to see that a new passage has been revealed.]

Jeremy: [grabbing his shirt] You did it.

Bonnie: We did it.

[Jeremy puts on his shirt and they move to continue on when Shane grunts in pain.]

Shane: [breathlessly] Hey, guys, I need a hand. My leg's broken.

Bonnie: Best to stay off it, then.

Shane: Bonnie. Wait, wait. Don't- Come on. Bonnie! Help me! Come on, please! Help me!

[Jeremy Willow and Bonnie ignore his pleas as they head into the tunnel.]

THE CAVE - UPPER CHAMBER

[Damon, still tied up, staggers into the cave with Vaughn behind him. They see the ropes that Shane, Bonnie and Jeremy had used to go down into the lower chamber.]

Damon: Well, here we are. Looks like someone beat us to the punch.

Vaughn: That's a shame, Damon. I have no use for you anymore. Hate to kill ya.

Damon: Ditto. You know, that pesky hunter's curse and all. [Vaughn nods] All right. How do you want to do this?

Vaughn: I'll make it quick and painless.

[He pulls on the rope tied to Damon's neck. Damon resists and grabs onto the rope; the vervain in it sears his skin.]

Damon: Wish I could make the same promise.

[Vaughn cuts the rope at his end and flings it toward Damon. Damon pulls the rope off his neck, groaning in pain, and pulls off the ones tied to his wrists. Vaughn prepares a gun.]

Damon: I'm gonna kill you. And then I'm gonna get to that damn cure, and I'm gonna give it to the girl that I love.

Vaughn: Your attachment to your friends will be the end of you.

[They hear footsteps from the cave entrance.]

Damon: [smiling] You don't know my friends... [Rebekah appears] Or my enemies.

AT THE CLIFF

[Elena has rejoined Stefan at the top of the cliff. He's lying down drinking a blood bag while Elena sits next to him.]

Elena: There's only one cure? [Stefan nods] I can't take it. I mean, not above everyone else who deserves it just as much as I do. [sighing] It's over.

Stefan: I'm sorry.

Elena: Don't be. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

Stefan: How so?

Elena: Things changed the minute that I went off that bridge, Stefan. Even if I could be human again, I wouldn't be the person that I was. Willow was right along [Stefan nods slowly] So it's about time that I accept the person that I am now and figure out a way... to start living the rest of my life.

Stefan: The rest of your life... sired to Damon.

Elena: I guess we'll have to deal with that when I get home. [her face changes as she realizes something] Oh my god... Home. Klaus. Bonnie's spell isn't gonna hold him.

Stefan: And after what we did to Kol, if we don't ram that cure down his throat, he'll kill us all.

Elena: Pity party over. We have to go.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Tyler walks out onto the front porch, Caroline behind him. He seems really stressed out.]

Tyler: Every time I think I have him, that son of a b*tch gets the upper hand.

Caroline: We won't let him hurt you. Stefan and Elena will bring back the cure.

Tyler: If they get to it first! And if they don't, Klaus kills me. [starting to get hysterical] I need to get out of town to figure out how I'm gonna stay alive-

Caroline: Wait, hang on, okay? Gosh! Before you get all doomsday, just- At least let me try and talk to him.

Tyler: He's got nothing to lose, Care. His brother's dead, his hybrids are gone. All he wants right now is blood, starting with mine.

Caroline: I'm not gonna say goodbye to you again, do you understand me? Let me fix this. [Tyler nods at her and she nods back.]

THE CAVE - UPPER CHAMBER

[Damon and Rebekah stand on one side of the cave, Vaughn on the other training his gun on them.]

Damon: Are we gonna dance or are we gonna play?

Rebekah: You know he can't hurt me, Damon, unless he's got the white oak stake.

Vaughn: Oh, he doesn't, but he's got other toys.

[Vaughn shoots Rebekah 3 times. She vamp-speeds at him and grabs his throat, but Vaughn sticks something into her chest: it's a grenade with wooden spikes protruding from it. Rebekah looks down at it, Vaughn holds up the fuse that he's pulled out, and the grenade detonates, sending the wooden spikes into her body, all the way through to her back. She falls down, neutralized. Damon vamp-speeds at Vaughn, engaging him in hand-to-hand combat. Vaughn withdraws another weapon and fires it at Damon; this time it throws a lasso-like device covered in vervain, which secures Damon by the neck to a pole behind him. He groans and makes choking noises.]

Stefan: [in the distance] Damon!

[Vaughn grabs onto a rope going down the shaft, slides down it quickly and disappears. Elena and Stefan enter the chamber just in time to hear Vaughn reach the bottom. Stefan tries to get the rope off of Damon's neck while Damon groans in pain; very difficult as the vervain burns Stefan's fingers as well.]

Damon: You're wasting time. Just get the cure. Go.

Elena: We're not gonna leave you.

Stefan: No, we aren't. [to Elena] You need to go ahead. We'll be right behind you. [Elena hesitates] Go.

[Elena looks at both of them for a moment longer before she jumps down into the shaft.]

THE CAVE - LOWER CHAMBER

[Bonnie Willow and Jeremy are walking along a passage, their flashlights held aloft.]

Bonnie: Look at us. [scoffs] A newbie hunter A Mage and a witch who needs adult supervision. How are we the ones that made it this far?

Jeremy: I'm glad we're here together.

Bonnie: Me, too.

Jeremy: [after sharing a moment with Bonnie he raises his flashlight] Where is "here," exactly?

Bonnie: This way.

Willow: How do you know?

Bonnie: I just know.

[Sheila Bennett appears in a small chamber.]

Sheila: Hello, Bonnie.

Bonnie: [torn between smiling and crying] Hi, Grams.

[Jeremy turns his flashlight towards the place Bonnie is looking at, but doesn't see anybody.]

Bonnie: What are you doing here, Grams?

Sheila: This place allows the living to talk to the dead.

Willow: Bonnie, what's going on?

Bonnie: [ignoring Jeremy] I am so sorry about what happened.

Sheila: It's okay. You're here now. And you are this close to bringing me back to life for good.

Bonnie: How?

Sheila: Silas can do it. All you have to do is reach him and feed him, and everything will go back to the way it was.

[Sheila starts to lead Bonnie into the chamber. Jeremy drops his flashlight and rushes after her.]

Jeremy: Bonnie, stop! [he grabs her and turns her around] Hey, you're not seeing your grams. If she were here, I'd be able to see her, and I can't. It's not her ghost. It's a hallucination. [he holds her face in his hands] What you're seeing isn't real. It's me. Your grams isn't here. I'm here. I'm real, okay?

[Bonnie, visibly upset, stares at Jeremy. There's a whooshing sound, she looks around and her grams is gone.]

Bonnie: What happened?

Jeremy: Silas. He was in your head. He was trying to control you.

Bonnie: And Shane. Illusions of his wife. That's how Silas controls him.

Jeremy: You need to block him out of your mind. Close your eyes. [she does] Listen to my voice and only my voice. [Bonnie breathes deeply and grabs Jeremy's hands] I'm gonna get us there. [Holding Bonnie's hand, he leads them further down the passage.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Klaus is sitting in an armchair in the Gilberts' living room. The front door opens and Caroline walks in. She's the opposite of aggressive or angry, and instead is calmly sad.]

Caroline: [softly] You can't kill Tyler.

Klaus: Not only can I, I have to. I have a reputation to uphold. Moreover, I want to.

Caroline: I'm not asking you to forgive him. All I'm asking is that you let him live, somewhere far from here.

Klaus: So he gets to live a happy life after he turned all my hybrids against me, after he tried to kill me, after he made it his life's mission to find the cure so he could use it against me-

Caroline: [defensively] We all want the cure.

Klaus: Do we? [Caroline stares mutely at him] Do you?

Caroline: It doesn't matter. There's only one, so it's not like I'm gonna get it anyway.

Klaus: But if you could... you wouldn't, would you? [She is silent but her face gives away her answer] You prefer who you are now to the girl you once were. You like being strong, ageless, fearless. [Klaus takes a step closer to her] We're the same, Caroline.

Caroline: Then show me. You know how much I love Tyler. You can see how scared I am to lose him. If you and I are so similar, then show me your compassion. Show him the mercy that I would show you.

Klaus: Mercy... for Tyler. Very well. Tell him to leave town immediately. [He starts walking away but turns back] And tell him to run and hide in a place I will never find him.

Caroline: Of course. [She turns and walks away, grabbing her jacket]

Klaus: Tell him that this is the mercy I extend for your sake... that I will give him a head start before I kill him.

[Caroline's face falls as she turns back to Klaus]

THE CAVE - UPPER CHAMBER

[Stefan finally manages to free Damon from the rope and Damon falls to the ground.]

Stefan: All right, come on. We have to catch up.

Damon: [breathlessly] No, it's okay. I just need a minute. I'm only gonna slow you down. Go. She only needs one of us.

Stefan: And what? You don't care to be that one anymore? You finally decided it was easier to just walk away?

Damon: There's only one dose of the cure, Stefan. She wants to take it, you want her to. I don't. Just do what makes her happy, Stefan.

Stefan: Things have changed. It's not that easy anymore.

Damon: [loudly] It is right now. Get your a** down the well. Help Elena get the damn thing. [Stefan still hesitates] Come on.

[Stefan finally decides and jumps down the well, while Damon sits and watches him go.]

THE CAVE - LOWER CHAMBER

[Elena is running through a passage, looking around for any sign of Jeremy or Bonnie. Suddenly she hears a rock fall in the distance and she looks around wildly.]

Elena: Stefan? [Her voice echoes. She hears another rock thud to the ground.] Hello? [echoes]

Woman: [an unseen voice] Elena. [echoes]

[She hears the whoosh sound of a vampire speed-running. She walks a few steps, then turns around and sees whoever said her name.]

Elena: [growling angrily] No.

[The person attacks her and the screen goes black.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline is sitting with Tyler on the porch swing.]

Caroline: How many times are we gonna have to say goodbye?

Tyler: At least this time we have a minute to do it the right way.

Caroline: [her face crumpling, she starts crying] There isn't a right way.

Tyler: This isn't goodbye. This is... until we find a way. We're immortal, remember? We _will_ find a way.

Caroline: What if we don't? [Tyler doesn't respond] Tell me that you'll never think of me again. Tell me that you'll forget about me, tell me that you are gonna go on and live a full and happy life without me.

Tyler: [He looks at her sadly, his eyes glistening. When he speaks, he seems to mean the opposite of what he is saying.] I will live a happy life without you. I will forget all about you. And I will never, ever, think about you again.

[Caroline continues to cry when Tyler leans in and kisses her. They hold onto one another even after they break away.]

Caroline: Until we find a way. [Tyler nods and kisses her forehead. Caroline's face breaks in despair, and she gasps for breath as she lets go of him. He gets up and walks away, leaving Caroline on the swing.]

THE CAVE - LOWER CHAMBER

[Stefan finds Shane still lying on the ground.]

Shane: Hey, I don't suppose you'd want to share a little of that vampire blood.

Stefan: Where are Jeremy Willow and Bonnie?

Shane: I have no idea.

Stefan: [grabbing Shane by the collar] Stop lying!

Shane: [gasping] I'm not lying... But if you help me, I will take you the rest of the way, I promise.

Stefan: [pushing Shane against the rock he's leaning up against] Did you know this whole time that there was only one cure?

Shane: [weakly] What? No. How could I? I've never seen it. [Stefan lets go of him and backs off] Look, everything I ever said and did was just to bring back my family, I swear.

Stefan: [nodding] Well, then you know what it's like to have hope, and now you know what it feels like to lose it. [He gets up and walks away.]

Shane: Come on. Come on!

[Whispering fills the cave and the apparition of his wife appears.]

Shane: Caitlin. I'm sorry, Caitlin. I failed you.

Caitlin: No. You didn't.

Shane: I'm sorry. I tried.

Caitlin: [crouching down next to him] Shh. You did everything I asked you to. Everything is going to be just fine.

[Cut to wide shot of Shane, alone in the cave.]

SILAS'S TOMB

[Bonnie Willow and Jeremy approach a side chamber containing Silas's tomb. It is shaped like a human figure lying on a table, covered in vine-like decoration. Its hands are holding a small box on its chest.]

Jeremy: [seeing the small box] Is this it? This is the cure? How is that supposed to cure every vampire in the world?

Willow: I don't think it is, Jer.

[Jeremy starts trying to wrest the box out of the figure's hands.]

Jeremy: It's stuck. Help me move it.

[She and Willow joins him and they pull as hard as they can.]

Willow: It's, like, fossilized in place. It's like trying to bend stone. [They give up. Willow realizes something.] Oh, my god.

Jeremy: What? [Willow backs away, looking at the entombed figure] What, Willow?

Willow: He's been frozen like a vampire statue for 2,000 years. There's only one way we're gonna get the statue to unfreeze.

Jeremy: How's that?

Bonnie: We have to feed him our blood. [Jeremy turns around to look at her] If we want to get the cure out of his hands, we... we have to wake him up.

THE CAVE - UPPER CHAMBER

[Damon has pulled himself over to Rebekah's body and is pulling the wooden spikes out of her. After the last one is out, she coughs and starts to wake up, groaning as she rolls onto her back.]

Rebekah: You're alive.

Damon: Yeah.

Rebekah: Why didn't you go with them?

Damon: Needed a siesta.

Rebekah: You gave up, didn't you?

Damon: [groaning as he tries to sit up] I didn't give up. I just realized... you can't control everything... no matter how hard you try. Let's just say I made peace with that fact.

Rebekah: [sitting up] Peace? You love Elena. You always will. If she becomes human, she may not feel the same way about you. You'll never know peace.

Damon: Life sucks. Get a helmet.

Rebekah: [smiling] You did something selfless, Damon. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were becoming a halfway decent person.

SILAS'S TOMB

[Jeremy violently strikes the tomb with a rock.]

Jeremy: Ah, come on!

Bonnie: There's got to be a way to do this without raising him. [Jeremy nods and continues to strike the tomb] We'll find a way-

[Bonnie is cut off short as Vaughn drives a knife into her back. She falls to the ground.]

Vaughn: Don't listen to the witch, boy. We have to raise Silas, and we have to do it now.

Willow: Bonnie! [She runs over to her. Vaughn heads towards the tomb and slices open his hand with a knife.] What are you doing?

Vaughn: What you shoulda done already. I'm gonna raise Silas... [he drips his blood into the figure's mouth] Then I'm gonna kill him.

[Jeremy attempts to attack Vaughn from behind but Vaughn throws him off easily. They engage in hand-to-hand combat. Vaughn gets Jeremy into a choke-hold.]

Vaughn: You're a bit confused, Mr. Gilbert. We're on the same team here.

[Jabbing Vaughn and breaking his hold on him, Willow manages to get a grip on Vaughn from behind.]

Willow: You stabbed my friend!

[They tussle a bit more and Vaughn throws Willow over his head.]

Vaughn: I don't mess around with witches.

Willow: [crouched on the ground] You can't use the cure on Silas.

Vaughn: It's what it's meant for!

[They combat hand-to-hand some more until Vaughn downs Jeremy, who falls to the ground groaning in pain.]

Vaughn: What else would you use it for? [He retrieves his knife from the ground and nods knowingly.] Your friends... Your sister... Sorry, lad. It wasnae meant for that. Nothing personal. [He bends down toward Jeremy but suddenly Elena swoops in and attacks Vaughn, about to go for his jugular.]

Jeremy: Don't! The hunter's curse!

[Elena pauses and instead throws Vaughn to the ground, apparently unconscious. She helps Jeremy up.]

Elena: You okay?

[Jeremy nods looking at Elena with a weird look]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline is still sitting on the porch swing. The front door opens and Klaus comes outside; the spell keeping him inside has worn off.]

Caroline: How did you get out?

Klaus: I fear something awful has befallen your friend Bonnie. [He starts to approach her and Caroline tenses reflexively.] Don't worry, love. You know I'd never hurt you.

Caroline: You've done enough.

Klaus: I've done more than enough. I've shown kindness, forgiveness, pity... because of you, Caroline. It was all for you.

[Caroline says nothing. They stare at each other for a moment, then Klaus nods his head and leaves.]

THE CAVE - LOWER CHAMBER

[Stefan is walking through the passage, flashlight aloft. He finds a wall glistening with blood, then sees Elena sitting against a wall, her head bloodied up.]

Stefan: Elena. What happened?

Elena: [whimpering] She's here!

Stefan: Who?

SILAS'S TOMB

[Katherine, who Jeremy thinks is Elena, gazes at Silas's tomb before turning round to look at Jeremy, crouching over Bonnie.]

Jeremy: Elena's here now, okay? Everything's gonna be all right.

Bonnie: [weakly] We did it.

Katherine: Come on. We gotta get you up.

Jeremy: [standing] You have to help Bonnie. The hunter stabbed her. You have to feed her.

Katherine: Okay. I just need to make sure that you're okay first.

Jeremy: I'm fine. What are you doing?

Katherine: [gesturing at the tomb behind her] The cure. Jeremy, after everything we've been through, it's right there.

Jeremy: It'll be there after we help Bonnie. [He crouches down to Bonnie again.]

Katherine: God, I forgot what a brat you were.

Jeremy: [looking back up at her] What?

Katherine: I'm done playing nice.

[She grabs Jeremy and vamp-speeds him over to the tomb, slices open his wrist and holds it over the stone figure's mouth.]

Willow: Katherine.

Katherine: It's been too long, little Gilbert. [The figure starts to move.] Sorry. Family reunion is gonna have to be cut short.

[She pulls him up again and sinks her fangs into his neck, then forces a screaming Jeremy down again,Willow rushes over to Katherine Pulling her head back and banging it against Silas's Tomb.

Willow: Stay away from Jeremy.

Katherine: You have gotten stronger little Mage( Vampspeeds around Willow then Snaps her Neck Jeremy Screaming as Katherine puts his bleeding neck over the figure's mouth. The figure's arm swings up and holds Jeremy in place. Katherine sees the box containing the cure, freed from the figure's grasp, and takes it, vamp-running out of the chamber. The figure grabs Jeremy throat, strangling him before it snaps his neck. He falls to the floor, apparently dead. Bonnie lies nearby, unable to move.]


	15. Stand By Me

**Stand By Me**

GILBERT HOUSE

[Elena picks up a framed photo of her and Jeremy. The glass is broken; with an utterly detached expression, she touches the glass and a piece falls to the floor, shattering.]

SILAS'S TOMB

[Elena finds Jeremy's body in the cave Willow has been trying to Revive him using her Soul Searching Power. She holds him in her arms, talking frantically and crying.]

Elena: Jeremy! Oh, no. No. No. Oh, god, no. Oh god... [she checks his hand; the Gilbert ring is still on his finger] It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. You're gonna be okay. The ring will bring you back. It's okay. It's okay. You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, Jeremy. You're gonna be fine.

[Stefan walks in and looks on in shock.]

Stefan:( Seeing Willow Crying goes over and Helps her up) What happened.

Willow:( Sobbing) It was Katherine At first we thought it was Elena but she attecked Jeremy and forced him to feed Silas I tryied to stop her but she Broke my neck and then when I revived I tryied using My soul healing Power him but I was too late I am So Sorry.

Stefan( Holding Willow in his arms as she Cries) Its Okay you did what you could We can't blame you for trying to bring him back

THE CAVE - UPPER CHAMBER

Damon: How'd this happen?

Stefan: It was Katherine. She must have been following us this whole time.

Damon: What about the cure, or Silas?

Stefan: If there was anything in there at all, it's all gone.

Damon: Where the hell is Bonnie and Willow?

Stefan: I have no idea. She went looking for Jeremy last night. She never came back. Willow Fought as Hard as she could against Katherine but was unable to stop so she Snapped her neck and Willow tryied to Revive him but was too late Damon Elena is waiting for Jeremy to wake up.

Damon: Okay, fine. I'll wait with her.

[Damon starts walking toward the well opening but Stefan puts up a hand to stop him.]

Stefan: Damon, listen to me. Jeremy was one of the Five, a hunter.

Damon: He's supernatural. The ring won't work anymore. [pauses] She won't survive this. I'll find Bonnie. You get Elena off this island.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline is scrubbing the floor when the door opens Willow and Elena walks in, Stefan behind Them carrying Jeremy's body.]

Caroline: [standing] Hey, you're home. I was trying to clean the burn mark where Kol- [She sees Stefan carrying Jeremy, his body wrapped in a blanket] I couldn't get the spot out.

[Stefan shakes his head a little at Caroline.]

Elena: Come on. Let's get him upstairs.

[Stefan follows Elena while Caroline stands immobile, shocked. Upstairs, Stefan lays Jeremy on his bed. Elena sits down beside him and holds his hand.]

Stefan: Can I get you anything?

Elena: No. I'm fine. I'm just gonna sit here and wait with him until he wakes up. Let me know if you hear anything about Bonnie, okay?

Stefan: [nodding] Yeah, sure.

[Elena spreads a blanket over Jeremy and resumes holding his hands on top of his chest. Stefan leaves the room.]

Caroline:( Hugging Willow as she cries) Hey its Okay you fought as Hard as you could this is a Mess.

Willow: I know he is never going to wake up and Elena is waiting for him to come back because of the Ring but the Ring won't work anymore.

Caroline: He was supernatural it won't work so he is truely Dead( Sadness in he eyes)

THE ISLAND - CAMPSITE

[Damon enters the campground, peeking into a tent. Walking a little further, he stops and his eyes vamp out while there is rustling in the trees.]

Damon: Unless you're a blonde, a Bennett witch, or a doppelgänger, I suggest you steer clear.

[He approaches the shack and creaks open the door. As he opens it wider Rebekah appears next to him, startling him.]

Rebekah: Where is it? The cure? I know someone has it.

Damon: Yeah, someone - Katherine.

Rebekah: Katherine? The doppelgänger?

Damon: Yeah. Sneaky little bitch must've been spying on us for weeks. She killed Jeremy... or somebody did. [Rebekah looks somber] He killed your brother. Let's not with the fake sad face.

Rebekah: I didn't say I was going to miss him, but I'm not heartless. He was Elena's only family.

Damon: Good. Well, you can send flowers after you help me find Bonnie. [he starts walking away]

Rebekah: We need to find Katherine.

Damon: If there's one thing that's a guarantee in this miserable little world, it's that Katherine Pierce is gone. We need to find Bonnie. Oh, and beware of the immortal Silas. If he was asleep in that cave, he's awake now.

[Damon turns and starts walking. After a moment's hesitation, Rebekah follows after him.]

THE ISLAND - THE WOODS

[Bonnie wakes up, lying on the ground in a small campsite. She sits up and looks around, clearly unsure of how she got there. She reaches around to touch the wound on her back.]

Shane: [approaching the campsite] Don't touch it. [kneeling beside Bonnie] I used some of the island's herbs and berries to help treat the wound, but not being an actual witch, I can't guarantee much.

[Bonnie looks down at Shane's pant leg, which is still covered in blood.]

Bonnie: How are you healed?

Shane: It was Silas. He helped me. You did it, Bonnie. He's risen. [he reaches out to her]

Bonnie: Get away from me.

Shane: I know you're angry with me, okay, but now you'll see everything I did, all those lives lost, they weren't in vain. Silas is gonna bring them back.

Bonnie: What you want to do isn't natural, Shane. You can't bring back the dead.

Shane: I think you'll change your mind now.

Bonnie: What do you mean, "now"?

Shane: When Silas awoke, he had to feed to gain his strength. He'd been desiccating for almost 2,000 years. He needed blood. Jeremy was there.

Bonnie: What are you saying?

Shane: He...

Bonnie: [angrily] What are you saying to me?

Shane: He drained him of his blood, Bonnie. Jeremy is dead.

[Bonnie gapes at him in shock.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Elena is still sitting with Jeremy, smoothing her hand over his face and holding his hands. Downstairs in the kitchen, Caroline is dumping a bucket of water into the sink and talking to Stefan.]

Caroline: How long has she been like that?

Stefan: Ever since we found his body. She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up.

Caroline: But he's not going to wake up. She knows that, right?

[Stefan holds a finger up to his lips to silence her. He walks over to the sink and runs the tap, using the noise to cover their conversation.]

Stefan: Look. Deep down, I think she has to, but we're talking about Elena here. She feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think her denial is the one thing protecting her from letting it all in.

Willow: But she can't stay like that forever.

Stefan: I know, but I don't want to be the one to break her out of it, not until we know that Bonnie is safe, not until we get Damon over here to, you know-

Caroline: Use the sire bond to convince her that everything is okay?

[Stefan nods but then Elena joins them in the kitchen.]

Elena: I'm not in denial. [Stefan turns off the tap.] I know that he was supernatural, but did you see? His tattoo is gone. The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber. Maybe it being gone means that he's fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. It's possible, right?

Caroline: Elena-

Elena: It's possible, Caroline. There's a chance. It may be miniscule, but it's hope and I'm gonna hold on to that hope with everything that I've got because there's no way that m- [she pauses] There's absolutely no way that my brother is dead. [she nods and shakes her head a bit] I'm not in denial.

[She turns and leaves the kitchen. Caroline Willow and Stefan share a look. A little while later, Caroline is on the front porch, talking on her cell phone.]

Caroline: Hey. I know that I'm not supposed to be calling, but something happened, and I need to talk to you, Tyler. So please call me. [she hangs up]

Stefan: [joining her] Do you know where he is?

Caroline: As far away from Klaus as he can get. Klaus said he wouldn't stop until he found him.

Willow: Well, Katherine's been running from Klaus for 500 years. It's not easy, but it's possible. It's probably why she stole the cure. She wants to bargain for her freedom.

Caroline: I just can't believe after all that, the cure is just gone.

Stefan: Yeah. I mean, talk about denial. In my head, I was thinking there was no way Elena was gonna stay a vampire forever... And now without any family.

Caroline: Well, we can't think about that right now. We need to make plans, lists. We need a funeral or a cover story, or a funeral and a cover story. I should go tell my mom. I guess she'll know what to do.

Stefan: We should get Matt over here.

Caroline: You're right. I will do that. I will call Matt, and then I will go tell my mom, and then I will make a list or a casserole or- I don't know- whatever people are supposed to do or make in these situations. [she pauses] What's that smell?

[Stefan looks inside through the open front door. Caroline looks like she already knows the answer.]

Stefan: It's his body. He's starting to decompose. Tell your mom to get Dr. Fell over here.

THE ISLAND

[Damon and Rebekah are walking through the woods.]

Rebekah: Do you think Bonnie is dead?

Damon: Never thought I'd say this, but I hope not.

Rebekah: I don't like being out in the open like this.

Damon: What, afraid of the big, bad Silas?

Rebekah: No.

Damon: [in a sing-song voice] Scaredy cat.

Rebekah: I'm not a scaredy cat. My brother Kol drove himself mad worrying about Silas rising. It would benefit us all to be a bit concerned, and you're one to talk about being afraid. You're so scared, you're 1,200 miles away from where you're supposed to be.

Damon: Hey, somebody needed to find Bonnie.

Rebekah: Stefan could've done that. Aren't you Elena's current love? It's so hard to keep track these days. Shouldn't you be home comforting her, or are you terrified of being there when she realizes her brother is dead?

[Suddenly Damon grabs Rebekah and uses her as a shield - an arrow hits her in the back.]

Rebekah: Ow.

Damon: Sorry. Better you than me.

[Damon tosses Rebekah away and she falls to the ground. He sees Vaughn aiming his crossbow at him; another arrow flies at Damon but he catches it, throws it down and vamp-runs out of sight. Vaughn puts down his bow and grabs his bag, running from the clearing, but Damon catches him up easily and throws him to the ground. Vaughn has a dagger in one hand but Damon twists his wrist and he drops it. Vaughn continues to struggle against Damon to no avail.]

Damon: Mm, just the guy I wanted to see. Not really.

[Damon slams him to the ground, knocking him out.]

THE ISLAND

[Shane pours something into a mug by the fire while Bonnie sobs nearby.]

Shane: Bonnie, here. Drink this. It'll calm you down.

Bonnie: [magicking the mug out of Shane's hands] I don't want any of your stupid teas, Shane.

Shane: Bonnie-

Bonnie: [shoving past him] Jeremy's dead. [The campfire flares up as she starts to lose control.]

Shane: Bonnie, be careful. Don't let your magic get out of control. [The flames continue to rise, Bonnie puts her face in her hands.] Bonnie. Bonnie! Hey, I am not gonna let you fall apart. I'm not gonna let you. [He holds Bonnie's arms, calming her down.] Silas needs you. He can bring Jeremy back. [The flames die down] He can bring everyone back, and you're gonna help him, okay? You're gonna see Jeremy again.

[Bonnie is silent as tears stream down her face.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Elena is in her room removing her jacket when she sees her journal on her bed. She picks it up and walks over to Jeremy's room. She's looking at Jeremy lying on his bed when Meredith enters the room.]

Meredith: Elena?

Elena: Meredith? What are you doing here?

Meredith: I came to check on your brother. May I?

Elena: [nodding] Yeah. Um... [Meredith walks over to Jeremy's body and lifts his arm.] You're not gonna find any vitals. It's the same thing that Ric used to go through. He'd just be dead until then he wasn't. Once, I remember he was gone for almost an entire day. [starting to ramble] Ric died, like, 4 times before he lost his mind and Jeremy has died a few times, too- 3, I think- so we're gonna have to- [she pauses when she hears Stefan enter the room] -so we'll have to keep an eye on him because I don't want him to go crazy just like Ric did.

[Meredith glances at Stefan, who gives her a small nod.]

Meredith: [approaching her] Elena... it looks like Jeremy died of extreme blood loss. His neck also appears to be broken. The lack of blood explains why there's no lividity, but his muscles have tightened past the point of rigor mortis.

Elena: No.

Meredith: If he's left unattended to, soon he'll start to bloat. Within a few hours, his skin will discolor, and-

Elena: No. He's- Stop, okay? [she walks over to the bed] Just stop. He's not dead.

Meredith: I need you to release the body to me. We'll get him to a funeral home and prepare him for a viewing where you and his friends can say goodbye to him.

[Elena rushes at Meredith and slams her against the wall.]

Elena: He's not dead, okay?

Stefan: [hurrying over to pull her off of Meredith] Elena, stop it.

Elena: [struggling against Stefan who is restraining her, her voice rising in hysteria] Now you're all about science? Where was your science when you used vampire blood to save my life, huh? There is no science here. It's just magic. We need magic. We have to find Bonnie. Bonnie can fix this. Somebody just get me Bonnie!

Matt: [entering the room With Willow] Elena-

[Elena stops struggling. Matt looks over at Jeremy on his bed, and Elena follows his gaze. His face starts to crumple.]

Elena: No. No. No, Matt. It's fine. [walking over to him] It's okay. It's okay. [she hugs him as his eyes tear up] Bonnie will be here soon, and she'll fix everything, and it'll be all fine. Everything's gonna be fine. [whispering and nodding to herself] It'll be fine. It'll be fine.

[Later, Elena is sitting at the kitchen table when Matt brings over two mugs and sits down. Matt sets one down loudly and breaks Elena out of her reverie.]

Elena: You're not dosing me again, are you?

Matt: Poison your best friend once, and suspicion follows you forever. [Elena smiles] Where are Bonnie and Damon?

Elena: We lost Bonnie on the island. Damon stayed back to try and find her.

Matt: That's funny. Doesn't he hate her?

Elena: He doesn't hate her. I think he actually kind of loves her. You're mean to the people that you care about.

Matt: That's some messed-up logic.

Elena: Damon logic.

Matt: [raising his mug in an impromptu toast] Damon logic. [They both take a sip of their drinks.] Listen. I want you to go somewhere with me.

Elena: I can't leave Jeremy.

Matt: Elena... There's nothing you can do right now, okay? Stefan can stay here with him. Come with me. [Elena still looks hesitant so Matt puts his hands over Elena's on the table.] Please. [His thumb strokes her hand while she thinks it over.]

THE ISLAND

[Damon has Vaughn tied up and propped up against a rock face, jabbing the point of a dagger into Vaughn's throat as he talks.]

Damon: Here's the thing. I was completely willing to accept the fact that you were one man on a lonely mission to kill ol' Silas, and then I got boned by my vixen nemesis Miss Katherine Pierce, and then I start thinking there's no way that this is a coincidence. So what do you know, huh? [Rebekah approaches from behind Damon.] Took you long enough.

Rebekah: Sorry. I had to dig the arrow out of my spine. Thank you for that.

Damon: Well, if you want a lead on Katherine Pierce, here's your guy. [He twists the point of the dagger in Vaughn's neck.]

Vaughn: Torture me all you want. [smiling] You can't kill me. The hunter's curse will torment you forever.

Damon: It'll be worth it.

Rebekah: He's right. You can't kill him, but that doesn't mean we can't tear him apart piece by piece, nerve by nerve until the pain is so severe, that your brain shuts it off to give you one tiny moment of blessed relief, and then we'll heal you and do it again and again and again.

Damon: You are creepy.

Rebekah: Thank you.

Vaughn: [after a moment of squirming uncomfortably from the dagger at his neck] I was tracking dens of vampires across Colorado. Katherine found me, said she could help me find Silas. She already knew about the hunter's mark, the cure.

Rebekah: How?

Vaughn: Oh, she had someone on the inside, some werewolf girl, friends with your professor.

Damon: Hayley, Tyler Lockwood's old friend. Ah, I knew she was shady. Where'd Katherine find her?

Vaughn: New Orleans. That's all I know.

Damon: [removing the dagger] Ah. Good. Let's throw him in the well. If he starves to death, it's not our fault. I'm gonna go find Bonnie.

Rebekah: We've got a lead on the cure, Damon. I'm gonna find it, but I suppose you don't mind. You never wanted Elena to be human again, anyway.

Damon: I wanted that cure for her because it's what she wanted. You might think I'm afraid to go back, but I'm not because I know what she needs. She needs me to bring her best friend home.

[Damon walks off. Rebekah smiles at Vaughn, who smiles tightly back.]

THE ISLAND

[Shane and Bonnie are walking through the woods.]

Shane: We got to get you home if you're gonna help Silas raise the dead.

Bonnie: I don't understand what I can do.

Silas: Well, Silas can't do magic. He was a witch, but after he became immortal, that ended. He can be a witch or a vampire, but never both. That's why I've been teaching you Expression, so you can do his work for him.

Bonnie: What? How?

Shane: [stopping and turning to face her] Using the power of 3 massacres. Each massacre of 12 marks the earth with power, and you can use Expression to tap into that power.

Bonnie: Three? [Shane nods] You've had 36 people killed?

Shane: No. I've had 24 people killed- 12 humans at the Young farm, 12 hybrids. You and I are gonna complete the triangle.

Bonnie: We're _what_?

Shane: Look, there needs to be another massacre, but it's okay. They're gonna come back. It's worth it.

Bonnie: [angrily] I'm not helping you kill 12 people, Shane.

Shane: [grabbing her arm] Won't you, if it meant you could see Jeremy again, your grams, everybody you or your friends have ever lost? I think you would.

Bonnie: [after a moment she wrenches her arm out of his grip] No.

[She starts running away but trips. As she starts to get up, she sees Jeremy lying on the ground, his face bloodied up.]

Jeremy: Bonnie?

Bonnie: Jeremy?

Jeremy: It hurts.

Bonnie: Jeremy.

Jeremy: Help me.

Bonnie: I can help you. I'll help you. I can help you. [She positions her hands over his chest like she's about to perform CPR. The wind swirls leaves all around them as Bonnie closes her eyes in concentration for several long moments, until Jeremy disappears, and her hands are on the ground.]

Bonnie: No. [She swipes at leaves on the ground, then looks up to see Shane watching her, and stops.]

Shane: [approaching her] He asked you to help him, didn't he? He needs your help. You can do this, Bonnie. You know you can.

Bonnie: [looking up at Shane] I'll do whatever it takes.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Meredith pulls the blanket over Jeremy's face and leaves the room. Stefan is on the staircase landing, adjusting pictures on a shelf on the wall, while Meredith adjusts the thermostat.]

Meredith: I'm bumping the A/C. We're not gonna be able to leave him in there for much longer.

Stefan: Yeah, I know. [walking up the stairs and sitting down on the top step] I've been alive for almost two centuries now. You'd think with the amount of people that I've seen die, it would hurt less each time. Never does.

Meredith: No. No, it never does. [she sits beside Stefan] I see this every day. Sometimes I think that denial is the worst part for people like us, because we know the truth. We can see they're on a collision course with it, and all we can do is brace ourselves for impact.

[Stefan nods, then his phone rings.]

Stefan: [answering it] Did you find her?

Damon: [voiceover] I'm still looking. [on the island] How is she?

Stefan: [voiceover] She's losing it, Damon. [at the house] We can do what we can to delay things here, but we've got to get Jeremy to the morgue before it gets ugly.

Damon: [on the island] Damn it. I can't- I can't just leave her behind. I can't- I can't show up without Bonnie.

Stefan: [voiceover] I think you have to. [at the house] At this point, the sire bond is probably the only thing that's gonna keep Elena together. I can go back to find Bonnie.

Damon: [on the island; he nods] I'm on my way. [He hangs up, then turns around as he hears footsteps. Bonnie emerges from behind a tree.] I could actually hug you right now. [They embrace.] Where have you been? How'd you find me?

Bonnie: [pulling away] Shane led the way. He told me what to do, Damon. I know how to bring Jeremy back.

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH SCHOOL

[Matt pulls up to the school in his truck with Elena and they get out.]

Elena: You brought me to the stoner pit?

Matt: [taking her hand] I want you to see something.

[He leads her over to the wall of the building, the lower half of which is concrete and covered in graffiti. Moving a desk out of the way, Matt reveals one graffito that says "Vicki".]

Elena: Vicki.

Matt: Remember when Jer was so into my sister?

Elena: [smiling] When our parents died. It was his rebel phase.

Matt: I found this after Vick died. It made me smile... and this.

[He walks over to the other end of the wall, moves a board out of the way and reveals another graffito; this one says "J + V".]

Elena: Jeremy and Vicki. Did he do that?

Matt: [nodding] After they found Vick's body, I remember thinking that things didn't feel over, you know, that there was no possible way that she could be gone forever. And then she wasn't. My point is, this town, this crazy-ass world we live in, sometimes not being willing to accept that someone is gone, is because maybe they're not... at least not completely.

Elena: Is that really what you believe?

Matt: [nodding] Yes.

Elena: If I compelled you to tell me the truth, is that what you would say?

Matt: I would tell you that it's okay to have hope... because sometimes that's all that keeps me going.

Elena: [smiling sadly] Thanks, Matt.

[Their moment is interrupted by Elena's cell phone ringing. The shots alternate between Matt and Elena at the school and Stefan at the Gilbert house.]

Elena: [answering] Stefan?

Stefan: [voiceover] Hey. [at the house] Damon found Bonnie. [Elena looks relieved] The plane is there waiting for them when they get off the island. They'll be home in a few hours.

Elena: Thank god. Is she okay?

Stefan: Yeah, he said she's fine. Listen, Elena. You might have been right. There might be something.

Elena: She knows what to do, doesn't she?

Stefan: Let's just see what she says when she gets home, okay?

Elena: Okay. We'll be home soon.

[They hang up with each other, Elena excitedly while Stefan still seems reluctant to hope.]

THE CAVE - LOWER CHAMBER

[Rebekah tosses a tied-up Vaughn down to the ground, along with his pack.]

Vaughn: You know, if you're smart, you'll use the cure to kill Silas.

Rebekah: Killing Silas is your supernatural destiny, not mine. [she starts walking away]

Vaughn: All right, okay. Well, you be careful up there, you know, 'cause he's up there, running about.

Rebekah: [turning back] You sure about that?

Vaughn: You don't believe me? Check my pack.

[After hesitating a moment, Rebekah reaches into his pack and withdraws the mask Silas had been wearing in his tomb.]

Vaughn: I found it in the chamber where he lay. They say no one has seen him. No one knows his face. How do you hide from the devil when you don't know what he looks like? Who knows? Maybe I'm him. [Rebekah swallows nervously] Mark my words, if you don't use the cure to kill him, doesnae matter if you're human or vampire. You're doomed. We all are.

[After a moment, Rebekah drops the mask and vamp-runs out of the cave.]

Vaughn: [raising his voice] Good luck to ya, lass. You've all brought this upon yourselves! May you rot in it! [he laughs]

GILBERT HOUSE

[Caroline is in her car, talking on her phone. As she's talking she gets out and walks round to stand in front of the Gilbert house.]

Caroline: Tyler, it's me again. So I was thinking about it, and you probably ditched your phone, which is the smartest thing that you could do. So I don't know when you're gonna get this, but things were looking kind of bleak for a minute, and- I don't know- maybe they're starting to turn around. So when you get this, call me back, and I'll tell you everything.

[She hangs up as Damon's car pulls up and Bonnie gets out of the passenger side.]

Caroline: [sighing] Thank god. We were so, so worried. [They hug.]

Bonnie: I'm okay.

Damon: Could you get Stefan out here?

Caroline: They said that she knows what to do.

Damon: [sounding serious, not hopeful like everyone else] Caroline, I need to talk to my brother.

Caroline: What's wrong?

[Damon's eyes move slightly to gesture at Bonnie.]

THE ISLAND

[Flaskback to earlier, after Bonnie had hallucinated Jeremy.]

Bonnie: [looking up at Shane] I'll do whatever it takes. Whatever you ask of me, I'll do it.

Shane: [kneeling down in front of her] Then you will see him again. There's just a few things we have to do first.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Current time, Bonnie, Elena, Willow Caroline and Matt are sitting at the kitchen table]

Bonnie: It's called an Expression triangle. I need to complete it for Silas.

Willow: [in disbelief] What?

[Outside the house, Damon and Stefan are talking.]

Damon: She's out of her mind, Stefan. The nutty professor's got her totally brainwashed.

[Inside]

Matt: Bonnie, you can't kill 12 people.

Bonnie: I know it sounds crazy, but it's the only way to get enough power.

Caroline: To do what?

THE ISLAND

[Flashback]

Shane: When Silas was buried by the witch Qetsiyah, she left him with the cure and two choices- stay immortal and rot or take the cure and eventually die in there of old age.

Bonnie: He's been trapped in there for 2,000 years. At some point wouldn't death by old age have been... better?

Shane: No because, you see, Qetsiyah had already one-upped him. She knew that he wanted to die so that he could find peace, be reunited with his one true love. So she created the Other Side as a purgatory for all supernatural beings, ensuring that if he died, he'd end up there forever. That's where you come in.

Bonnie: Why me?

Shane: Because you, as Qetsiyah's descendant, can make the Other Side go away.

Bonnie: How?

GILBERT HOUSE

[Current time]

Damon: I mean, the whole flight back home, all she could talk about was how she's the one that can drop the veil between this side and the Other Side.

Stefan: Drop the veil? What does that even mean?

Damon: What it means is, the myth about Silas being able to raise the dead is not just one, or some. It's every supernatural being over there.

[Inside]

Bonnie: Once the veil is dropped, the Other Side doesn't exist anymore. There's nothing separating us. We're all just one.

[Outside]

Damon: Three massacres, three hot spots, and the witch spell of the century, and every supernatural being over there is back with a vengeance.

THE ISLAND

[Flashback]

Bonnie: I can't do that.

Shane: What? Oh no. Yes, you can. Yes, you can. All the witches, your ancestors who've been persecuted throughout time, your grams, Jeremy, they'll all be back. You can do this. [pauses, smiling] You _will_ do this.

GILBERT HOUSE

[Inside]

Caroline: Bonnie, you are talking like a crazy person. You are not killing 12 people, and you sure as hell can't invite every monster who has ever died back into this world.

Matt: Caroline, I think she knows that.

[Elena stares straight ahead as the others continue to argue]

Bonnie: I can do it. I have the power. We can bring _everyone_ back- Jeremy, Alaric, Vicki.

[Their voices start to fade as the music builds]

Caroline: Bonnie, stop it. You can't just say these things.

Bonnie: It's gonna be fine...

Willow: Bonnie listen to me very carefully its Dangerous to use this kind of Spell you can die.

Bonnie: I won't Die I can control My Power I promise

[The phone rings, breaking Elena out of her reverie and ending the conversation.]

Elena: I'll get it.

Matt: Elena, I'll get it-

Elena: I said I'll get it. [She gets up and answers the phone as Damon and Stefan come back inside.] Hello?

April: [voiceover] Elena? It's April... Young. Um, I was looking for Jeremy, his cell phone keeps going straight to voicemail.

Elena: Jeremy can't come to the phone right now. He's not- [pauses] I'm sorry. He's dead.

[She hangs up and walks out of the room, while the others look at each other. Upstairs, Elena slowly enters Jeremy's room, where his body lay under a blanket. She approaches the bed, and reaches to lift the blanket from over his face with a trembling hand. Upon seeing his face, she backs away, breathing heavily.]

Damon: [from the doorway] Elena...

Elena: [spinning round to look at him, tears streaming down her face] He's dead. He's dead. Damon, he's dead, and he's been dead this entire time, and I- [her hand flies to her face over her mouth] Oh, my god. [turning to look at Jeremy] I can smell him. [turning round to Damon] How long has he smelled like that?

Damon: Hey, talk to me. I can help you.

Elena: How? How are you gonna help me? How? [She sniffles and wipes her hand over her face.] Okay. Okay. We- we have to- we have to take care of his body. Bring him downstairs.

Damon: We shouldn't-

Elena: Just carry him down, please. [She leaves the room, leaving Damon looking reluctant. She hurries down the stairs.] Where's Bonnie?

Willow: We told Matt to take her home. We thought it'd be best.

Elena: Okay. I guess we're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way.

Caroline: Do what?

Elena: [to Damon, who has arrived downstairs] Put his body on the couch. [She goes into the kitchen and starts opening and closing cabinets.]

Caroline: Elena? Elena, you need help finding something?

Elena: [taking a bottle of lighter fluid out of a cabinet and squirting it over the counter] Got it.

[Caroline stands in astonishment.]

Stefan: What are you doing?

Elena: [continuing to squirt the fluid everywhere] We need a cover story, right? You think I didn't hear you guys talking earlier? Well, what are we gonna say- animal attack, 'tumbled down the stairs'? No. We burn the house down with him inside of it. [She's made it to the living room and squirts the couch.]

Stefan: [raising his voice] Elena, stop it.

Elena: Why? Because you want me to not be in denial? You want me to face the truth? _This_ is the truth, Stefan. I don't want to live here anymore. I don't want these sketches. [sprays them with lighter fluid and kicks something] I don't want this Xbox. [throws down the empty bottle and reaches into a cabinet] Not gonna need this bourbon anymore. Alaric's not here to drink it, I mean, unless you guys are willing to bring back every supernatural creature on the Other Side to get him back. [turning to Damon] Would you? I know you want your drinking buddy back. [walking toward him] Would you, Damon? Because I wouldn't. [walks over to Jeremy's body and splashes bourbon over him] I don't know, I mean, does that make me a bad person? I- I have no idea. [she pulls the Gilbert ring off of Jeremy's finger and tosses it to Damon] He's not gonna need that anymore.

Caroline: [shouting] Elena, stop it. You're scaring me!

Elena: [taking down a picture frame from the fireplace mantle] What else are we supposed to do with the body, Caroline? I mean, there's no- there's no room in the Gilbert family plot. [throws the frame down on the floor and the glass cracks] Jenna and- and John took the last spots. [She throws the empty bottle of bourbon against the wall and it shatters, then grabs a match from the mantle and lights it.]

Stefan: No, no, Elena. Stop.

Elena: [shouting] There's nothing here for me anymore, Stefan. Every inch of this house is filled with memories of the people that I love that have died- my mom, my dad, Jeremy, and Jenna and Alaric, John, even John. I mean, they're all dead. Everyone is dead. So what am I supposed to- I mean, how am I gonna- I can't even- There's nothing left for me- aah!

[The flame had burned down on the match and started to burn Elena's hand. She drops the match but Damon vamp-speeds over to catch it before it can ignite on the lighter fluid everywhere. Elena sobs and starts to crumble.]

Willow: Elena, I need you to calm down.

Elena: No, no, no, I can't. I can't. I can't. I- [She falls to her knees, immeasurable pain and grief distorting her face. She grabs at her head.] No. It hurts. It hurts. Just make it stop. Please make it stop. It hurts. [She continues sobbing loudly.]

Stefan: Damon... Help her.

[Damon crouches down next to her and pulls her to him.]

Elena: I- I- [crying]

Damon: I can help you. I want you to let me help you. [Elena shudders as Damon touches her face. She sits up, pulling away as Damon gently caresses her cheeks and smooths her hair back.] I can help you.

Elena: How?

Damon: Turn it off.

Stefan: What? No, no.

[Damon holds up a hand to stop him from intervening.]

Damon: Just turn it off, and everything will go away. That's what you have to do. It's what I _want_ you to do. Just turn it off.

[They watch as Elena's tear-stained face turns utterly expressionless and still. The light leaves her eyes, as though something inside her has died.]

FORBES HOUSE

[Caroline is on the phone again.]

Caroline: Hey, it's me. Look, I hate to leave this on your voicemail, but I think that you need to know. [pauses] Jeremy's dead, Tyler. I'm so sorry. I thought that you would call and I could tell you, but then you didn't, so- Just call me when you get this, okay? I need you, and there's no way that yesterday was the last time that I'm ever going to see you or talk to you. It can't be. So just... call me, Tyler. Please. [She hangs up the phone, puts it on her nightstand, and curls up on her bed.]

BONNIE'S HOUSE

[Matt pulls up outside Bonnie's house to drop her off.]

Bonnie: It's gonna be okay, Matt, you'll see. I'll bring him back.

Matt: Get some sleep, Bon. We'll talk tomorrow.

[Bonnie gets out and walks up to her front door, setting down her bag to find her keys as Matt drives away.]

Shane: [behind her] Did you tell them?

Bonnie: [shrugging] They don't think I can do it.

Shane: Oh, they're just scared. They're afraid to believe.

Bonnie: You know, I've been thinking. You said if I dropped the veil to the Other Side, that the dead'll return, but that's only for the supernatural. What about the 12 people that died on the Young farm?

Shane: They were a necessary sacrifice, for the greater good. They've passed on. They've found peace. That's all anyone wants. That's all Silas wants. We'll do this together, you and I. We are the beginning.

THE ISLAND

[Rebekah is walking through the woods in the dark, her flashlight aloft. She hears various animal noises in the distance. She finds someone's belongings and proceeds slowly until she is startled to find a body.]

Rebekah: Blast it. [She pulls the body over to see its face.] Shane.

[She shines the flashlight over his leg, his clothes still bloodied. She goes to walk around him when suddenly his arm strikes out and grabs her ankle and she gives a little scream.]

Shane: Silas.

ON A STREET SOMEWHERE

[Matt pulls over in his truck and puts it in park. He breaks down crying, sobbing brokenly and resting his head against the steering wheel.]

GILBERT HOUSE

[It's the shot from the beginning of the episode, when Elena picks up a broken picture frame, looks at it expressionlessly, and a piece of the glass falls to the floor. Out on the porch, Stefan and Damon are talking.]

Stefan: It was a mistake.

Damon: It wasn't, and you know it. This is the only way she's gonna survive. We'll help her, keep an eye on her. When she's ready, I'll use the sire bond to bring her back.

Stefan: Her humanity, Damon, that was all she had left.

Damon: Humanity means nothing when you don't have anyone to care about, Stefan.

Stefan: [nodding] She had you.

Damon: She lost her brother. I'm not enough, not this time.

Stefan: Listen, Damon. I know that you and I, we've been through some... bad spots lately, especially when it comes to her.

Damon: Yeah. Well... guess none of that matters anymore.

Stefan: Well I just, um... I want you to know that, um- [He meets Damon's eyes.]

Damon: I know, Stefan. [He puts his hand on Stefan's shoulder and nods.]

[Inside, Elena puts down the frame. Still expressionless, she crosses the living room to grab and light another match as Damon Willow and Stefan come back inside.]

Damon: Elena, don't do this. We can find another cover story.

Elena: [shaking her head] This is the best one. No one'll ask questions.

Willow: Look, if you burn down the house, it'll be gone. What if one day when this is all over, you want to come home again?

[Elena watches the flame, then looks up at Stefan.]

Elena: I won't.

[She tips the match out of her fingers and the floor immediately ignites. The Four walk out of the house together, Elena leading. She and Damon turn to their left and continue down the street while Stefan pauses and looks back at the house before following after them. Inside, Jeremy's body is engulfed in flames, along with his sketchings, Elena's converse sneakers, and her journal.]


	16. Bring It On

**Bring It On**

**The Road**

(Elena is slowly walking down the middle of the road. She stops. Her face is completely emotionless. She turns and looks around her for a minute before lying down on the road, spreading her arms out and closing her eyes as she waits.)

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(The Salvatore brothers walk into the parlor together.)

Stefan: We're gonna lose her, Damon.

Damon: She needs time. It's only been a couple days.

Stefan: Her humanity's off. She's basically numb to everything that makes her who she is.

Damon: (pouring himself a glass of bourbon) She's a vampire. Off switch is one of the biggest perks. If being undead gets you down, (snaps fingers) voila, vampire Prozac. (takes a swig of bourbon.)

Stefan: She burned down her family home with her brother's dead body still inside.

Damon: Saves us the trouble of having to do it ourselves. I call that a win.

**Street in Mystic Falls**

(A car approaches the spot where Elena lies in the middle of the street. The woman driving sees Elena lying there and stops her car a few feet away from her.)

**Salvatore Boarding House**

Damon: Worst case scenario: I'll invoke the sire bond and tell her to turn it back on.

Stefan: No, her brother just died. If you force all that grief on her at once, it's going to overwhelm her. We need to give her a reason to want to turn it on.

Damon: Fine, we'll show her a good time.

(Stefan looks skeptical about this plan.)

Damon: I know it's controversial, Stefan, but people actually like to have fun.

Stefan: You really think that's gonna work?

Damon: There's only one way to find out.

**Street in Mystic Falls**

(The woman has gotten out of her car and runs over to Elena.)

Woman: (crouching down next to Elena) Are you alright? Was there an accident? Where are you hurt? Are you in pain?

Elena: (opens her eyes) I don't feel anything.

Woman: I have a blanket in my car. Try not to move. I'll call for help.

(The woman gets up and trots to her car. Elena remains on the pavement, looking completely numb. The woman opens the trunk of her car and retrieves the blanket. She turns around to see Elena standing right behind her, looking at her hungrily.)

Woman: What are you doing?

(Elena smirks and starts to vamp out. She extends her fangs and growls ferociously as she bites into the woman's neck. She holds onto the back of the woman's head as she feeds from her.)

Damon: (walks over to the car) That's enough.

(Elena ignores him and continues to feed.)

Damon: (grabs Elena's arm and pulls her off the woman) I said that's enough. (Turns Elena around to face him.) We agreed no killing.

Elena: This is the first person I've seen in days whose body isn't laced with vervain and I'm hungry.

Damon: If you leave a trail of bodies, people are gonna start asking questions.

Elena: I don't care.

(Elena turns away and begins feeding on the woman again.)

Damon: I can't believe you're making _me_ say this. Hey, (grabs Elena by the arm and pulls her away from the woman for a second time) Show a little restraint.

Elena: (looks annoyed) I thought this was supposed to be fun.

(She throws the body of the woman aside. The woman lands on the pavement and doesn't move. Elena walks away with blood staining her mouth. Damon watches her walk away.)

**Truck Stop**

(Hayley emerges from a small store into a truck stop parking lot. She cautiously looks around as she walks between two eighteen wheelers. Suddenly, she hears the sound of something hitting metal. She stops for a second and looks around. She hears the noise again but from behind her this time. She turns around and sees a man standing between the two eighteen wheelers. He vamp runs over to her, grabs her by the throat, and slams her against the side of one of the trucksHayley begins to choke and gasp for air. The vamp throws her to the ground and looks down at her, his lip curled up into a snarl. Before he can harm Hayley any further, Klaus vamp runs up to the rogue vamp, grabs him by his jacket, and spins him around to face him.)

Klaus: (fangs extending and eyes glowing gold) Have a care, mate. That's no way to treat a lady.

(Klaus bites down on the vamp's neck. The vampire screams as Klaus continues to bite down on him. Klaus stops feasting on the vamp and throws him against one of the trucks. The vamp falls to the ground. Klaus looks down at Hayley.)

Hayley: (getting up from the ground) You came.

Klaus: Well, you did say it was urgent.

(The vamp that Klaus attacked is still lying on the ground, gripping his neck wound and moaning. Klaus extends his hand towards Hayley. She takes it and Klaus pulls her up from the ground. Hayley looks over at the vamp lying on the ground. He suddenly gets up and vamp runs away.)

Klaus: Oh, don't worry about him, love. He'll never make it through tomorrow night.

Hayley: What if there are more?

Klaus: You were foolish enough to make a deal with Katerina Petrova. She used you to find the cure and now you're nothing but a loose end. You'll be lucky if she lets you live.

Hayley: (shoving past Klaus) You said you would protect me.

Klaus: And I will. (turns to face Hayley) Just as soon as you tell me everything you know about Katerina.

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Elena is showering in Damon's bathroom. Damon and Stefan are in his bedroom having a conversation. Elena turns her head so she can hear the two of them better.)

Damon: So that's the plan? You're gonna take her back to school?

Stefan: Well, the fun route didn't exactly pay off, did it?

Damon: I don't know. Got a free meal out of it.

Stefan: Look, do you think I want to go to school and play chaperone? You can't go because you're not a student. Besides, you've got to go look for Katherine. I mean, Elena needs this cure now more than ever.

(Caroline enters the room in a bath robe. The Salvatore brothers turn to face her.)

Caroline: Not that anyone asked me, but I think taking her back to school is a great idea.

Damon: Why are you here?

Caroline: Uh, blame it on your fancy water filters. Your house has the only vervain-free showers in town.

Damon: Oh, yeah. The mayor put vervain in the water supply. (clicks his tongue) So many people to kill.

Caroline: Yeah, my mom says it's about to get worse, so she could use a little help.

(Stefan looks back at Damon.)

Damon: Fine, I'll go after the psychotic doppelgänger. Stefan, you wanna go talk to the Sheriff?

(Stefan nods.)

Damon: Blondie, take her to school.

(Caroline smiles.)

Elena: Sounds like fun.

(Elena has emerged from her shower, completely naked. Stefan and Damon openly stare at her body, while Caroline averts her eyes, smiling awkwardly.)

Elena: What? It's nothing you guys haven't seen before.

(Elena wraps a towel around her body, covering herself up. Stefan and Damon share a look with similar nonplussed expressions.)

Elena: And as for the, uh, "going to school" idea... I've got nothing better to do.

(Stefan clears his throat and looks over at Damon, motioning toward Elena with his head. Damon walks towards Elena.)

Damon: Elena, it would make me very happy if you went to school today. And studied hard- you know, get involved in whatever activies, and please, for me, no matter what, don't _eat_ anyone. Okay?

(Elena nods understandingly.)

**Mystic Falls High School**

(Students are milling about the school grounds. Inside, Elena approaches a bulletin board and pulls off a flyer advertising a memorial for Jeremy. Without any noticeable reaction, she moves on to another flyer, this one advertising the Mystic Falls Cheerleading Invitational. Elsewhere in a hallway, Caroline is talking on the phone.)

Caroline: Hey, Tyler. It's me checking in. Things are just getting back to normal here, sort of. Elena's not quite there, but we're working on it. (She sees Elena across the hall, crumpling up a flyer.) Look, I know that you can't call me back, but I keep thinking if I just leave these messages that when you do come home, it'll be like you never left... or that's the hope. Well, I'd better go. I love you, Tyler.

Matt: (approaching Caroline) Hey, have you seen Bonnie?

Caroline: Yeah, I called her last night. She's fine. She's just a little drained from, you know, everything.

Matt: Can't really blame her.

Caroline: Yeah.

Elena: I have an idea. (approaching them, holding up a flyer) Can you get me my old spot back on the cheerleading squad?

Caroline: I mean, technically, yeah. I'm captain, but I thought you hated cheerleading.

Elena: I did, but now I think it would be really fun to jump around and toss people up in the air. It's not like the routines are that hard.

Caroline: (glancing at Matt, then smiling at Elena) I... think that would make Damon really happy.

(Elena smiles vacantly back.)

**Klaus' Mansion**

(Klaus opens the door. Damon is standing outside and grimaces at him. Damon walks in the house without an invitation.)

Klaus: Ah, what an unpleasant surprise.

Damon: (striding into the parlor, a piece of paper in his hand) So I just came up with a list.

(Klaus shuts the door and follows Damon into the room.)

Damon: It's called "Things You Suck At" (He stops and turns to face Klaus.) Number one: Finding Katherine. Ever. Number two: covering up your secret phone conversations with that little backstabber Hayley. (waves the phone transcripts a bit and puts them down on the end table) Yeah, so, where is she? What does she know about Katherine?

Klaus: I should help _you_?

Damon: (nodding) Mhm.

Klaus: After you lot killed my brother and imprisoned me in the Gilbert living room?

Damon: (walks closer to Klaus) You might want to prioritize, Klaus. You have much bigger problems.

(Klaus looks at him blankly.)

Damon: Katherine has the cure. (Klaus looks displeased by this news) My guess is she's gonna want to cram it down your throat. You help me find Katherine, I'll get the cure, I'll give it to Elena, everybody wins. Just let me question Hayley about Katherine.

(Klaus smiles and walks towards Damon.)

Klaus: Can't help you, mate. Hayley's off limits. (He walks past Damon and sits down on the sofa.) Although, I did have a run in with a vampire who may know where Katerina is. (Damon turns around and looks at him.) Too bad for you, I bit halfway through his bloody neck. He probably won't have much time for chit-chat.

**WILLOW'S HOUSE**

**Ever since we Willow and the others has come back from the Island all Willow wanted to do is just cry her eyes out but trying Not to give into Grif she gets a Phone Call from Klaus asking her if she would like to come over to Dinner with Him and Hayley sense she has nothing better to do she takes a Shower and Pulls on her Dark blue jeans and Blue tanks top and her brown leather Jacket and Making her hair Stright she then grabs her bag and Keys she heads over to Klaus's Mansion.**

**Sheriff Forbes' Office**

(Stefan is flipping through a file while Liz talks to him.)

Liz: The entire supply of blood from the hospital, all the reserves, gone, just vanished.

Stefan: (closes the file and looks up at Liz) I don't understand. Are you accusing us?

Liz: No, I'm not accusing you, but this town is at a tipping point. Any more unexplained house fires, and things are gonna boil over. (Stefan looks down, unsure of what to say) I'm sorry, I know it's not your fault. It's been a rough week. (She moves around to the front of her desk) Miranda Gilbert was one of my best friends in high school. To see what's happened to her family - it's just...

Stefan: (places the folder down) Look, Liz... if there's anything I can do to help, I promise I will.

Liz: Good. You need to. Whoever stole that blood put a lot of lives in danger and risks exposing all of you, my daughter included. (Stefan nods understandingly) So, who can you think of who wants blood that bad, who would be so careless?

(Stefan looks as though he has suspicions, but doesn't share them with Liz.)

**Mystic Falls High School**

(The cheerleading invitational is underway as Elena, in her cheer uniform, observes the crowds. Inside, Caroline approaches her cheerfully.)

Caroline: The uniform still fits. You look fantastic. (Elena twirls to show off her uniform) We are totally gonna kick Grove Hills' ass.

Elena: Yeah. Should be fun.

(Elena uses her heightened vampire hearing to listen to a girl across the gymnasium.)

Girl: Oh, my god. You guys, I left my makeup bag on the bus.

Caroline: Wow. The competition's bigger than last year.

(Elena is half-listening while she fixates on the girl.)

Caroline: I'm gonna go stretch.

(Caroline walks away and the girl walks past Elena out of the gymnasium. Outside, the girl walks up into a school bus and retrieves her bag. She turns around and suddenly Elena is right behind her.)

Elena: I like your ribbon.

Girl: (awkwardly) Um, thanks.

Elena: I want it.

Girl: (smiling) Yeah, but I'm using it, so go get your own.

(She tries walking around her but Elena moves into her way. Elena's eyes vamp out, she snarls and launches onto the girl's neck. She continues feeding while the girl splutters and groans in pain. Elena, still drinking from the girl's neck, reaches around and pulls the blue ribbon out of the girl's hair.

Later, back inside the gym, Elena has the blue ribbon tied around her ponytail. Caroline approaches her.)

Caroline: Hey, where were you? We're going on any minute.

Elena: I'm here, aren't I?

Caroline: What's with the ribbon? That's not even our colors.

(Elena simply gives her a cute cly smile, twirls her ponytail, and walks away while Caroline watches her uneasily. She then catches sight of the girl Elena fed on; she now has a scarf tied around her neck and is pulling at it uncomfortably. Upset, Caroline catches up to Elena.)

Caroline: Are you out of your mind?

Elena: (turning round to face her) What is your problem?

Caroline: (angrily) Feeding on the competition? Hello. Did you not hear what Damon told you?

Elena: I did, but who cares? I'll do whatever I want.

Stefan: (approaching them) Everything all right?

Elena: (calmly) Yeah, as soon as the queen backs off, everything will be fine.

(Elena walks off to warm up with the other Mystic Falls cheerleaders while Caroline and Stefan watch her carefully.)

Caroline: Remember how Damon sired her to behave? It didn't really work.

**Truck Stop**

(Damon, now at the truck stop where Hayley had met up with Klaus earlier, is on the phone with Stefan. The shots alternate between Damon walking among some parked semis and Stefan at the high school.)

Damon: What do you mean, she fed? I specifically told her, No Feeding. The sire bond should make her listen.

Stefan: (quietly) Right. That's what I'm saying. The sire bond isn't working.

Damon: That's not possible.

Stefan: Think about it. Elena's sire bond stems from her feelings for you, right? With her humanity off, she has no feelings.

Damon: All I wanted was to break that damn bond. You're telling me now this whole time all she had to do was turn it off? What happens if she turns it back on?

Stefan: I don't know, but more importantly, where are you right now?

Damon: I'm at a truck stop in the boonies looking for a dead vampire that might lead to Katherine and the cure. (He hears an engine revving and starts to look around.) Look, just grab her and get her home. I'll be there when I can.

(They hang up with each other. Damon is still looking around suspiciously; when he turns back around Rebekah has appeared a few feet away.)

Damon: You. I thought you were still vacationing on Numbskull Island.

Rebekah: Well, I was looking for answers, and all I found was your Professor Shane, dead, and with him, anything anyone knows about the cure.

Damon: Guess you won't turn into a real girl after all. (He turns and starts to walk away.)

Rebekah: Oh, I'll get the cure. I just need Katherine, and I'm betting you can help me find her.

Damon: (facing her again) Why would I help you?

Rebekah: (holdling up a vial of blood) Because I was smart enough to bring a pinch of my brother's blood. How else would you interrogate a vampire who's practically dead from a wolf bite?

(Damon makes a grab at the vial while Rebekah's talking but she snatches it away.)

Damon: (grudgingly) Fine. Follow me. I might know where to look.

**Klaus' Mansion**

(Hayley and Klaus are sitting at a table across from each other. Hayley, pulling her foot up onto her chair, takes a sip of wine while Klaus talks to her.)

Klaus: (tranquilly) So, you're rested, you're fed. Tell me about Katerina.

Hayley: Most men get their power kick from torture and intimidation. With you, it's drinks and fine dining.

Klaus: (smiling) Well, in your case, I favor hospitality over unpleasantness, but I have been known to change my mind on a whim. Where is Katerina?

Hayley: You seriously think I know?

Klaus: You tipped her off as to what we were up to and set her on a course to find the cure. In return, she sent her lackey to snuff you out. Tell me, what did Katerina promise you?

(Hayley looks at him and pauses for a moment before setting down her glass and readjusting in her seat, leaning forward.)

Hayley: I was in New Orleans trying to find information about my real parents. Katherine found me and told me she could help.

Klaus: (raising his eyebrows) An orphan? Well, that does explain your charming bravado. Abandonment issues will do it every time.

Hayley: (instantly) Sounds like you would know.

Klaus: (smiling, he leans forward) I'm the only one that can protect you. I'm happy to do so, provided you cooperate.

(Hayley doesn't Knocking on the Door of the Room Klaus waves her over)

Klaus:( Feeling something jump inside him when Willow walk in Looking Beautiful as Ever) My little Mage How have you been since the Island so sorry to hear of Poor Jeremy's death.

Willow:( Sadly Smiling) Yeah it was bad because of Katherine Elena has No brother and her Humanity switch is off so You invited me here to eat dinner with you why.

Klaus: Well I enjoy your Company Love I miss it Please won't you join us.

Willow: Fine I could use some fine Dining for a Change( Noticing the look of Desire in his eyes as she took her jacket off and hangs on a Hook on the wall)

**Mystic Falls High School**

(Elena is stretching in a hallway when Stefan approaches her.)

Stefan: Hey, we need to talk.

Elena: So talk. You can help me stretch. (She swings her leg up onto Stefan's shoulder, exposing her black panties.)

Stefan: (smiling resignedly) Okay. Did you feed on that cheerleader?

Elena: Maybe. (She continues to stretch, arching her arm over her head.)

Stefan: I see. You wouldn't happen to know anything about the hospital's missing blood supply, would you?

Elena: (bringing her leg back down) Trust me. I'm sick of blood bags. I'd prefer something a little warmer. (She turns around to brace herself against the lockers and stretch her calves.)

Stefan: Look, Elena, I know what you're going through. I was having the time of my life when I first turned, too. I didn't start ripping people's heads off until 1912. The next thing I know, I was killing an entire village.

Elena: (turning to face him) Am I supposed to be scared of becoming you?

Stefan: Yeah, you are, because I know how deep down you can fall, and I know how difficult it is to climb back out. Come on. You're better than this.

Elena: I don't know. Maybe this is the better version of me.

(They hear a voice over the PA system say, "Up next: Mystic Falls' very own Lady Timberwolves" and the crowd in the gym cheers. Elena walks away from Stefan but runs into Caroline.)

Caroline: No way. You are _not_ cheering.

Elena: Let's see you try and stop me.

(Elena continues walking past Caroline. In the gym, the announcer says, "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for your very own Lady Timberwolves" while the girls get in position and the crowd cheers. Led by Caroline's "Ready!", the team starts their routine: "L-O-L, O-M-G, you're looking at Mystic Falls Varsity! B-E-A-T, beat those Cats." Three girls, including Elena, toss Caroline into the air, but when she comes down Elena backs away and Caroline falls straight to the ground. The crowd gasps in shock while the rest of the team rush over to Caroline. Elena looks at Caroline, who is still on the ground, then at Stefan across the room, daring them to react, before turning and walking away.

Later, Elena is walking outside, now wearing a matching jacket with her uniform and texting someone, until Stefan blocks her path.)

Stefan: Nice move. What do you do for an encore?

Elena: (continuing to text and walk, Stefan beside her) I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve another condescending lecture.

Stefan: No. I was impressed. Getting yourself on the cheerleading squad. Plenty of vervain-free victims bussed in for the competition. You played us all really well.

(They approach Stefan's motorcycle and come to a stop.)

Elena: It wasn't that hard. You want me to be okay so badly that you hear whatever I want you to.

Stefan: Right. Well, you know, the problem with a gymnasium is, too many witnesses. You gotta go somewhere a little more private for some real fun.

Elena: (playing along) Oh, yeah? Where?

Stefan: Oh, I know this little dive bar off the beaten path. (picking up a helmet) Come on.

Elena: (smiling knowingly) You're bluffing.

Stefan: You're forgetting that I had my switch flipped in this town, too. (Elena finally looks less suspicious.) I know where to take someone to have a good time.

(He tosses her the helmet and uses her momentary distraction to vamp-speed over to her and stab her with a vervain dart. She gasps and immediately weakens.)

Stefan: But first, a bit of vervain, just to take the edge off.

(Elena slumps in his arms and passes out.)

**Grove Hills Hospital**

(Damon is leading Rebekah down a hallway in the hospital.)

Rebekah: Why exactly would you think a sick vampire would check into a hospital?

Damon: (pointing upwards) See that little bright thing in the sky? It's called the sun. He needs to avoid that. Plus, the hospital's open 24/7. Not to mention he's hungry and delusional.

(He stops and surreptitiously pushes open a door into another room; Rebekag follows him. They enter a dark storage room. Damon opens a cooler, and finds it's empty. Confused, he closes it and goes to the next one - same thing,the trays labeled "AB Positive", "AB Negative", etc., are empty.)

Rebekah: Impressive. You're like Sherlock Holmes with brain damage.

(Damon continues checking the coolers to no avail, and groans in frustration.)

Damon: Stefan said the Mystic Falls Hospital had its entire blood bank raided, too.

Rebekah: It looks like our vampire gets around.

Damon: No. The guy's dying of a werewolf bite. He wouldn't have time to steal from both hospitals. This is someone else.

Rebekah: Who?

Damon: That's another problem. But on the plus side, if our guy did by chance come here, he's got nothing, which means he's nearby and he's hungry.

(Damon starts walking toward the door but Rebekah moves to block his way.)

Rebekah: This better not be a wild goose chase.

Damon: I want to find Katherine as much as you do.

Rebekah: Really? Why? I heard your little chat with Stefan. I know Elena's broken the sire bond. So why would you wanna find the cure? You'd just cure her back to loving your brother. I think you're best off leaving it for me.

(Rebekah turns and leaves the room, leaving Damon thinking about what she said.)

**Klaus' Mansion**

(Hayley walks into another room with a drink in her hand, Klaus following behind her With Willow and stopping in the doorway. She approaches an area where Klaus's paintings lay on tables or stand propped up on the ground.)

Hayley: (pointing) Hate that. (flipping through larger ones standing upright) Too much. I don't get that.

(Klaus walks further into the room, looking like he's about to say something but instead smiles and says nothing. Hayley starts picking up smaller paintings and gives her opinions.)

Hayley: Hmm... I don't care. (tosses it away) Hmm. This one.

(She picks up a painting of a dark figure silhouetted by a fading sky, standing near a bare tree.)

Willow: ( Admiring his work .) Why'd you paint it?

Klaus: Painting is a metaphor for control. Every choice is mine- the canvas, the color. (He begins to walk slowly closer to her.) As a child, I had neither a sense of the world nor my place in it, but art taught me that one's vision can be achieved with sheer force of will. The same is true of life, provided one refuses to let anything stand in one's way.

(Hayley snorts slightly, smiling. She looks up at Klaus through hooded eyes, and as she talks leans in to speak near his ear as she passes him.)

Hayley: So this is your thing- show a girl a few mediocre paintings, whine about your childhood, and I swoon and spill all my dirty secrets?

Klaus: I felt I had many charms, but, uh, regardless, I'm enjoying myself.

Hayley: (suggestively) And you do whatever you enjoy... (changing her tone) Up to and including hunting my friend Tyler for the next century.

Klaus: Oh, surely not the next century. Only until I kill him.

(Klaus walks over to a table to pour himself a drink.)

Willow: (laughing) You talk a good game but the truth is you let him go. My guess: you know if you kill him, Caroline will hate you forever.

Klaus: (facing her) If I simply killed Tyler, my revenge would be over in a moment. Sentencing him to a lifetime of paranoia and fear- that's Tyler's true punishment. But come now. (walking towards her) You never really thought there was a future for you two, did you?

Hayley: I don't know. He might've left Caroline for me if I'd used the cure to kill you.

Klaus: (laughing) You know, if Tyler has even half your resolve, he may actually make it through the year.

Willow: ( shaking her head) It doesn't take resolve. It takes allies, a network of people willing to do anything for you, including chase down loose ends to their death. That's how Katherine escaped you all this time.

Klaus:( Feeling Longing for the young Mage he walks towards her) Tell me something you have been looking a little tired lately not getting any sleep.

Willow: No everysense everybody started looking for the Cure I haven't been sleeping Dreams keeping me awake at night I guess My Lonelyness is telling me something but I don't now what it is yet.

Klaus: Maybe its time to go on a Vacation you body needs Rest to Heal from all the things you went through( Pulling her in his arms and Caressing her Checks)

Willow:( Blushing as he Pulls her closer) What are you doing to me what about Caroline I know you care about her.

Klaus: Yes as a Friend but lately I've been thinking about you More every time I close my eyes I see your face I don't now why Maybe its because you have gotten to my heart Little Mage.

Willow( Pulling away Gently a little afraid) I don't now about that Klaus what would happen if we end up together you will then Go to Caroline all the Time I can take the Risk that you will Hurt me.

Klaus: You Need to start having a little faith Love Who Knows anything can happen you just have to be Willing to jump in with both Feet

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Elena gasps awake and finds herself in Damon's bed while Stefan leans against the bed post.)

Elena: (sitting up) What'd you do to me?

Stefan: Brought you home before you can cause any more trouble.

Elena: So you're grounding me... because I dropped Caroline on her thick head.

Stefan: No, because you fed on someone... in public.

Elena: (standing up) So? I was hungry. (She drops her skirt and starts untying her top.)

Stefan: (amused) You're really gonna keep stripping in front of me? That's real mature.

Elena: (pulling her top over her head) I'm done cheering, so I'm gonna change.

Stefan: Sure. When in doubt, manipulate people with sex. (Elena puts on a tank top.) You know, that's the same trick Katherine used to pull.

Elena: (pulling on a pair of pants) Don't compare me to Katherine. She's been running so long, she's afraid of her own shadow. _I_ am not afraid of anything. (checking herself in a full-length mirror) I've shut it all off- all of it, including my feelings for you. (She picks up her phone and it beeps.) And don't get me wrong. I mean, I see you standing there, and you look good. I remember our sex, and it was good sex. I just don't feel anything about it anymore.

(Stefan nods ruefully while Elena continues texting.)

Elena: But you clearly do. (looking up) Why do you care what I do and who I kill?

Stefan: Because it's my fault that you're like this. I brought this into your life. (Elena goes back to texting and walks away from Stefan while he talks.) Look, I've killed hundreds of people, and I have to live with that, but I'm not gonna live with the people that you kill or what that'll do to you.

(Elena seems to be ignoring Stefan completely, laughing slightly while her phone beeps again. Annoyed, Stefan walks over to her and grabs her phone.)

Stefan: Who are you texting?

Elena: Look at you. Your whole world revolves around me. Maybe you're the one that needs to turn it all off.

(Stefan takes this and looks down for a moment until he hears a door creak and voices downstairs getting louder.)

Stefan: What is that?

(Elena merely looks at him. Hurrying down the stairs, music thumping ever louder, Stefan finds a crowd of high schoolers filing into his house. Elena joins him, adjusting her hair.)

Stefan: (facing her) So that's what all this texting was about? You invited all these people over here.

Elena: You were trying to keep me from joining the party, so... I brought the party here. (She smiles.)

Stefan: (looking around) Great. That's great.

(Elena smiles impishly, shrugging her shoulders slightly. Later, it's dark outside and Caroline walks in through the open door and joins Stefan.)

Caroline: I got here as soon as I could. This is _insane_.

Stefan: Yeah. It won't last. They'll either drink all the booze and get bored, or, ah, Damon'll come home and kill everyone.

(They start to join the fray of partiers.)

Caroline: We can't compel them to leave. The locals are all on vervain from the town water supply.

Stefan: Yep.

Caroline: So what do we do?

Stefan: Pff, I don't know. Enjoy the party, keep Elena from butchering Grove Hills' cheerleading squad. (He takes a swig from a bottle of alcohol.)

Caroline: Great. And where is she?

Stefan: (pointing and smiling) Where do you think?

(Caroline follows his gaze to see Elena dancing on a table, bottle in hand and laughing.)

Caroline: I almost forgot what that looked like.

Stefan: What? Elena smiling?

Caroline: (smiling) No. Fun. I mean, look at her. Yes, this is all very bad, but doesn't she make you just want to let go?

Stefan: (ruefully) Well, unfortunately I have this little problem... When I, uh, party too hard, I end up killing people.

Caroline: Well, your sober coach is giving you the green light. (She takes a swig from the bottle.) I mean, come on. You are at a kegger full of hot girls, and you're single, and you're, well, you're _you_.

Stefan: (smiling) So, what am I supposed to do, just grab some girl, throw her over my shoulder, take her out onto the dance floor?

Caroline: Just take your own advice. Have fun, you know? We deserve a little bit of fun.

Stefan: (nodding for a moment) Okay.

(He leans down and hauls Caroline up and over his shoulder.)

Caroline: (laughing) I didn't mean me!

(Stefan continues walking into the crowd of partiers with Caroline over his shoulder.)

**Grove Hills Hospital**

(Damon is feeding on a hospital employee while Rebekah watches.)

Rebekah: Well, nobody could ever mistake you for subtle.

Damon: You have to take pride in your work. (to the woman) It's okay. Come here, come here. Now. (compelling her) I want you to walk very slowly to your car. Off you go.

(The woman walks away.)

Rebekah: You know, I just don't see how this increases our odds any.

Damon: I've been on the other side of a wolf bite. First you get really sick. Then you get really hungry. Since the sun's gone down, I'm imagining he's gonna be looking for his last supper. I just laid out a 3-course, 115-pound meal for him.

(The woman is stumbling toward her car when the dying vampire appears several yards away from behind a tree. Damon vamp-speeds over to the vampire and pins him against the tree. Damon looks like he's about to swing at the guy, but stops when he sees his face.)

Will: Damon?

Damon: Will?

Will: (with labored breathing) Hey, buddy. (pulling his collar away from his neck; his bite wound looks ugly) I think there's something wrong with me. I need help.

Damon: (sympathetically) Yeah, it's okay. I know what to do.

(Damon plunges his fist into Will's chest and pulls out his heart; Will drops to the ground. Rebekah rushes at them.)

Rebekah: (angrily) What the bloody hell are you doing?

Damon: He was too far gone. I put him out of his misery.

(Damon walks away, leaving Rebekah to stand horrified looking at the dead vampire.)

**Klaus' Mansion**

(Klaus is hanging up his cell phone while Hayley stands with a drink watching the fireplace.)

Hayley: I guess its safe for me Know so I am going to Go

Klaus: (walking closer to Willow as she is staring at the Flames in the fire Place) So what's it gonna be? Going? Or staying?

Willow: Don't we shouldn't do something you might regret Klaus

(Klaus brushes his hand against Willow's cheek before grabbing her to him and she gasps. They start kissing but Willow feeling Regret trying to Pull out of his Arms but. Klaus vamp-speeds her up onto the table and Kisses down her Neck biting as he went Willow pulling his shirt Off. Klaus pushes her down flat onto the table, then mounts her and kisses her neck while she gasps and moans underneath him.)

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Elena is still dancing on a table, pouring alcohol into someone's mouth. Stefan and Caroline are dancing together, laughing and talking. Elena sees them enjoying themselves, jumps down from the table and approaches them.)

Elena: Look who finally joined the party.

Stefan: Yeah. Why? Are you jealous or something?

Elena: No. That would imply emotions, and we've already established those are useless.

Caroline: Come on, Elena. Just dance with us.

Elena: No. You guys look good together. (smiling) By all means, Care, just take him out for a spin. He could use it.

(Elena walks away. Caroline and Stefan exchange awkward looks. At the door Sheriff Forbes walks in.)

Liz: Elena. What's going on in here?

Elena: Just some underage drinking and drug use.

Liz: Where's Stefan?

Elena: He's actually busy flirting with your daughter. But I think he's a good rebound for her because of the whole Tyler thing.

Liz: I'm shutting this down right now.

(She starts to move past Elena but Elena grabs her arm and stops her.)

Elena: Liz, please. Why don't you just stay and have a drink?

Liz: Elena, take your hand off me.

Elena: (her eyes vamping out briefly) Either you have a drink, or I will.

(The sheriff starts reaching for her gun but Elena pins her against a wall. Caroline vamp-speeds over to them and pushes Elena away.)

Caroline: Mom!

Liz: I'm fine.

(Caroline growls and starts to go for Elena but Stefan stops her.)

Stefan: Caroline, calm down.

Caroline: (struggling against Stefan) Calm down? I'm gonna wring her skinny little neck!

(Suddenly Elena vamp-speeds out of the house, leaving a cup spinning on the patio outside.)

**The Woods**

(Caroline and Stefan are out in the woods looking for Elena.)

Caroline: Elena! Where the hell is she?

Stefan: Right where she wants to be. This is completely calculated. She drew all those people to the house, waited for an opportunity to distract us, and now she's free.

Caroline: I can't believe she's doing this. I mean, she hurt my mom, Stefan.

Stefan: All right, listen. You search the woods, I'll check the road. If you see her, don't hesitate. Just snap her neck, got it?

Caroline: (nodding) Yeah.

Stefan: Okay.

(He turns and walks away; Caroline continues searching the woods.)

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Damon walks into the party, looking amused.)

Damon: (taking a bottle out of someone's hand) Thank you. (He takes a swig from the bottle but then senses Rebekah behind him.) Will you please just take a hint and leave me alone?

Rebekah: What are you hiding? I know you knew that vampire.

Damon: (turning round to face her) I know a lot of dead people.

Rebekah: You killed him to prevent me from finding Katherine to keep me from getting the cure.

Damon: Do you really want the cure? I mean really? (Rebekah doesn't respond.) Look. Let me give you a little bit of advice. (Leading Rebekah and pointing.) See these girls? They look happy, now. In five years, they're gonna settle for a mediocre starter-husband and a mind-numbing career, and about that time, they're gonna realize something you're never gonna have to learn.

Rebekah: And what would that be?

Damon: Life sucks when you're ordinary. And what makes you exactly not like them? You're a vampire. You take that cure, become human, well, you're no one, nothing. Trust me. Losing this cure is the best damn thing that ever happened to you.

(Damon walks away, leaving Rebekah looking troubled by what he said. Damon is walking up the stairs when his phone starts vibrating. He takes it out; it's a text message from Stefan that says, "Elena's AWOL. Need help.")

**The Woods**

(Caroline is still searching.)

Caroline: Elena! Don't make me fight you, Elena! I'm stronger than you, and I don't want to hurt you.

(Elena vamp-speeds into the clearing, throws Caroline against a tree then throws her down onto the ground.)

Elena: (on top of Caroline, holding her down at the throat) Who's gonna get hurt?

(Caroline throws Elena off and they both stand up, facing each other.)

Elena: Not bad. Not technically good, but then again, Alaric didn't train you. You were probably too busy butting into people's business!

(Elena swings her leg up to kick Caroline but Caroline dodges her. Caroline tries to grab her but Elena grabs Caroline's throat. Caroline tries to loosen Elena's grip but then Elena headbutts her.)

Caroline: (putting a hand to her forehead) Oh, just stop! God. This isn't you, and you know it! You hurt my mom, Elena. How far are you gonna take this?

Elena: Are you trying to make me feel bad for hurting your mom? Don't you get it? I don't care. I mean, maybe you should try to turn it all off. Who knows? You might stop whining about how Tyler left you. Added bonus: you won't have to feel guilty about all the dirty thoughts you have about Klaus.

Caroline: (angrily) Shut up.

Elena: Make me.

(Caroline strikes Elena and they engage in hand-to-hand combat.)

Elena: (holding Caroline's fist) You fight like a girl.

(Elena breaks Caroline's arm, snaps a small branch off of a nearby tree and stabs her in the stomach with it. Caroline falls to her knees, Elena pulls the branch out of Caroline and is about to stake her through the back when Stefan vamp-speeds into the clearing with Damon and restrains her.)

Elena: (struggling against his hold) Let go of me! (Damon takes Elena from Stefan.)

Damon: (fighting to keep hold of Elena) I admit, under any other circumstances, this would be a major turn-on.

Stefan: (kneeling beside Caroline) Get her out of here. Go.

(Damon vamp-runs away with Elena while Caroline and Stefan catch their breath.)

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Caroline is sitting on a sofa by the fire, talking on her phone.)

Caroline: Hey, Tyler. It's me. You'll never believe the crazy day I've had. Look, I know that you said you wouldn't, but I really wish that you would answer. It'd be great to talk to you.

(Her phone starts vibrating, and she pulls it away from her ear to look at it. A text message from Matt says, "Meet me at Tyler's house". She looks a little disappointed as Stefan enters the room.)

Stefan: You all right?

Caroline: You mean besides the fact that my best friend tried to kill me?

Stefan: (sitting on the sofa across from her) Look, it's not her. You have to remember that. With her emotions off, she's the worst version of herself.

Caroline: So how do we get her back? Or what if we can't? Why would she choose to turn her emotions back on? She's an orphan. She just lost her brother. Her life sucks, Stefan. So why would she come back to us?

Stefan: (leaning forward) Even when I was at my worst, Elena didn't give up on me. So we can't give up on her.

(Caroline nods slightly. Stefan holds out his hand.)

Stefan: (with a small smile) Deal?

(Caroline smiles back a little, then reaches out and shakes his hand.

Upstairs, Damon is rifling through a wooden chest filled with papers and photographs. Elena is sitting on his bed behind him.)

Elena: How much longer am I supposed to sit here?

Damon: Well, I'm not big on goal-setting, but let's just imagine a time when you don't wanna kill your best friend.

Elena: Are you judging me? (standing up) How many times have you tried to kill Stefan? (Damon looks at her over his shoulder but doesn't answer and turns back to the chest. Elena walks toward him.) What is that?

Damon: (looking at a photograph of him and Will) One of life's many mysteries. Elena, look-

Elena: Don't. (turning and walking back to the bed) Every time someone starts with "Elena," I get some stupid lecture. Everyone just needs to stop telling me that I need to feel. I do feel, Damon. I feel amazing.

Damon: You don't want to be like this.

Elena: Then how should I be? Should I go back to being the scared little girl who couldn't admit what she wants? Is that how you'd prefer me to go back to being, or- Look. For the longest time, you wanted to be with me, but you were scared that I'd find out how awful you are. But it doesn't matter anymore because I don't care. (grasping his lapel) Be honest. You like me better like this.

(Damon looks at her with an inscrutable emotion but doesn't say anything.)

**Lockwood Mansion**

(Caroline walks up to an open doorway of the house but stops; she is unable to enter.)

Caroline: Matt?

Matt: (entering from down the hall) Care.

Caroline: Matt, why can't I get inside?

Matt: (glancing down at a piece of paper in his hands, then looking at Caroline) Come in.

(Caroline crosses the threshold slowly.)

Caroline: Matt, what's going on?

Matt: Tyler sent me this package in the mail. (extending the paper towards her) This is for you.

(Caroline takes it and reads the letter. In voiceover Tyler's voice reads: "Dear Care, I miss you more than I can put into words, but I know as long as Klaus is alive, I can't come home. He won't stop trying to kill me, and you won't stop trying to protect me. Which means the only way to make sure you're safe is for me to go and never come back. I left Matt the deed to the house. It will protect you in ways I can't anymore. I will always love you." Caroline flips the letter over but there's nothing written on the back.)

Caroline: He's not coming back.

(Caroline starts crying and Matt embraces her.)

**Klaus' Mansion**

(Willow is sitting on the edge of a bed, fastening her bra.)

Klaus: (sitting up behind her) Running away, little Mage( Pulling her onto his Chest Licking on her Lips as she tryies to Pull away) Why go when you and I can have so much fun.

Willow:( Gasps as Klaus Pulls her on top of him thrusting in her as he Pulls her head back to Sink his teeth in her Neck taking her blood and then he makes her drink his blood making sure she has taken enough he Passionatly Kisses her with Blood on his mouth as he rolls her under him thrusting still Pulling her hands above her head still sucking on her neck holding her close she Moans Softly) Klaus

Klaus:( Smilies with Victory as he takes the Young Mage for his Own Making sure that she will never want anyone else).

**Salvatore Boarding House**

(Stefan's phone is ringing while he sits at his desk. He stands and answers it.)

Stefan: Sheriff Forbes. Everything okay?

Liz: (voiceover) No. We have a bigger problem.

**Damon's Car**

(Damon is driving when his phone starts vibrating. He answers it.)

Damon: Hey.

(It's Stefan; the shots alternate between Damon in the car and Stefan at the boarding house.)

Stefan: Where the hell are you?

Damon: Out for a drive. I needed some space. It's not me, it's you.

Stefan: Well, we got a little problem. You said blood was stolen from Grove Hills Hospital? The sheriff said there's been reports of six other blood bank thefts all within 30 miles of Mystic Falls. Somebody's stockpiling blood. It wasn't Elena, and it's not us.

Damon: Okay, so...

Stefan: I think Silas followed us back from that island. He hasn't fed in 2,000 years, so he would need to gorge on blood. It explains the thefts.

Damon: You know, I'm really not in the mood to scooby-doo our way through the case of the stolen blood supply, so why don't you hold the fort down until I get back, and I'll be in touch, brother.

(Damon hangs up; the camera pans back to reveal Elena in the passenger seat.)

Elena: He's gonna hate you for that.

Damon: Yeah, well, emotions are overrated.

Elena: So where are we going?

Damon: (pulling down the picture of him and Will from the visor) A place every newbie vampire should go at least once in their life- New York. (smiling mischievously) The city that never sleeps.

(Elena looks pleasantly surprised and excited, and they continue driving down the road.)


	17. Because The Night

American Gothic

A SMALL TOWN IN PENNSYLVANIA

[Elena speeds into a street parking space with Rebekah in the passenger seat. They get out of the car.]

Rebekah: [indignantly] Why are we stopping?

Elena: We've searched 3 cities in the last 24 hours, I'm sick of Top 40 radio, and I smell like leather.

Rebekah: And that's my fault? You are the one who stole the list of Katherine's possible whereabouts, did you ever think that Damon had bad information?

Elena: [looking around] Have I mentioned I can't stand the sound of your voice?

Rebekah: Too bad. We're not done. Get in, next town.

[Elena has spotted a girl walking to her car.]

Elena: In a minute. I'm hungry.

Rebekah: We're not here for a pub crawl, Elena! I want the cure, Katherine has it. We don't stop until we find her.

Elena: [turning back to face Rebekah] I said in a minute.

[The girl is putting stuff into the passenger seat of her car. Elena makes her jump by appearing next to her suddenly.]

Girl: Oh, my god, you startled me.

Elena: Did I?

[Elena vamps out and starts to go for the girl's neck.]

Girl: Katherine, what are you doing?

[Rebekah raises her eyebrows; Elena stops and pulls back.]

Elena: You know me?

Girl: Of course. And I know most people around here prefer you to feed from the neck, but I asked you to drink from my wrist, remember?

[The girl pulls back her sleeve and reveals two puncture marks.]

Rebekah: [laughing] The conniving little bitch compelled the whole town.

Elena: [smiling] I think we just found Katherine.

Elena: What's my full name?

Girl: Katherine Pierce. I love the new 'do, by the way.

Rebekah: So how do you know Katherine?

Girl: [looking at Rebekah] How do I know who?

Elena: Me. How do you know me?

Girl: [looking at Elena] Small town, everybody knows everybody.

Rebekah: So everyone here knows Katherine?

Girl: [looking at Rebekah] I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about.

Rebekah: [to Elena, laughing] She compelled people to forget all about her unless she's talking to them herself. Clever girl.

Elena: [to the girl] How long have we known each other?

Girl: It's— been a while. I can't remember.

Elena: Where do I live? Where do I work?

Girl: I don't know.

Elena: Who do I spend time with? Do I have any friends?

Girl: Well, you said we could all be friends with you, as long as we kept your secret.

Elena: What secret?

Girl: [confused] I—I don't know.

ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD

[Damon and Stefan have gotten out of their car and are walking towards Damon's car. Damon is carrying two large containers.]

Damon: If they so much as even scratched the paint on my car…

Stefan: Well, just be grateful Sheriff Forbes was able to track down the car after you let them, ah, you know—steal it from you.

Damon: Remind me to send her some mini-muffins. Do we really need 10 gallons of gas, or are you making me just lug this around as punishment?

Stefan: Well, they ditched your car after it ran out of fuel. You gotta fill it up. Got a hundred miles before we get to Willoughby.

Damon: Yeah, well I don't remember that name from the list of places I got from New York.

Stefan: [amused] Oh, the list? The list they stole from right under your nose, after you let your guard down? They'll be there. Sheriff Forbes tracked down the car they stole after yours.

Damon: [filling his tank with gasoline]Screw the muffins. I'll get her champagne—if Elena is wherever it may be.

Stefan: [smiling] Willoughby. Creamed corn capital of Pennsylvania. They'll be there. Let's just hope we get to them before they get to the cure.

Damon: Ooh, silver lining: if Rebekah takes the cure, then she's mortal and we can just kill her right then and there.

Stefan: Ooh, dark cloud: Elena stays a vampire forever. Look, why don't you just table the revenge fantasies for now, and just keep your eye on the prize. Find Katherine, get the cure, get out before you get your neck snapped—again.

Damon: Believe me, I learned my lesson. Elena without humanity is a stone-cold bitch, and I won't trust her until we get the old Elena back.

Stefan: Look at that. We're finally on the same page about something.

Damon: Look at that.

KLAUS' MANSION

[Klaus is feverishly trying to get the piece of white oak stake out of his back. He is scratching his own flesh off, leaving the wound on his back a bloody mess. Willow' enters.]

Willow: Klaus, we need to talk. [Klaus is moaning in pain] What happened to you?

Klaus: Silas. He attacked me. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. A piece of it—is still inside me.

Willow: Oh my god, Klaus, that could kill you.

Klaus: [laughing humorlessly] Well, I certainly feel like I'm dying.

[Willow reaches for Klaus' face, stroking it. When she speaks, she doesn't sound like Willow.]

Willow: Hey. As much as I would love to watch you die, you still haven't found me that cure.

Klaus: Silas!

[Klaus pushes Willow/Silas away and falls to the floor.]

Willow/Silas: That's right. Last night I looked like Shane, today I look like Willow, and tomorrow—who knows?

Klaus: [through gritted teeth] Show me your real face.

Willow/Silas: Now why would I do that when I can look like whomever I want you to see?

[Silas approaches and Klaus shudders in fear.]

Willow/Silas: Resist me all you want, Klaus, but until you bring me the cure I will bring you nothing but misery.

[Willow/Silas disappears and Klaus relaxes painfully.]

OUTSIDE THE POST OFFICE

[Rebekah and Elena are walking over to a postal worker.]

Elena: Hey, excuse me, um... Do I have any mail today?

Man: What happened to your hair?

Elena: I cut it.

Man: In the last two minutes?

Elena: I was here two minutes ago?

Man: Are you feeling okay, Miss Pierce?

Elena: Yeah, I'm- I'm fine. Um, thanks.

[The man nods and walks away.]

Elena: [to Rebekah] She was here two minutes ago. That means that she can't be that far. Um—how about you check inside. I'll look in the parking lot.

Rebekah: Okay.

[They leave in different directions. Elena walks over to the parking lot. She sees a girl with dark curly hair in a black car. Thinking it could be Katherine, she hides behind a van. From her hiding place she watches the girl, but the girl gets out of a car and it is not Katherine. Elena relaxes. Suddenly someone grabs Elena from behind and shoves her against the van - Katherine has Elena pinned by the neck.]

Katherine: I'm impressed. I never thought you'd find me here. [Katherine starts choking Elena.] Oh, well. It's a beautiful place to die.

[From behind, Rebekah grabs Katherine's neck and pushes her to the ground.]

Rebekah: I couldn't agree more. You've chosen a beautiful place to die.

[Elena smiles and Katherine is shocked.]

INSIDE A DINER

[Rebekah is sitting next to Katherine and Elena sits opposite Katherine.]

Elena: Where's the cure?

Katherine: What? No 'I'm here to avenge my annoying little brother' speech?

Elena: People die. We move on.

[Elena drinks from a mug, expressionless. Rebekah looks at Elena, who keeps looking at Katherine.]

Katherine: After turning off our humanity switch. So sad for the boys, though. Their special snowflake of human frailty... gone. Well, if we're gonna be a while, I'm gonna go grab some menus.

[Katherine starts to stand up but Rebekah stabs her hand with a fork and Katherine moans in pain.]

Rebekah: You're not going anywhere.

Katherine: [through her teeth] I forgot how charming you were.

Rebekah: I'm surprised you remember me at all, seeing as though you were so busy wedging yourself between my brothers.

[The waitress stops at their table.]

Waitress: Oh, my god. What happened?

[They look up at her. No one says anything, so Elena kicks Katherine in the foot, and smiles up at the waitress.]

Katherine: [sighing] I'm fine, Jolene. [compelling her] You didn't see anything.

[The waitress nods, smiles and leaves. Rebekah is smiling at Elena.]

Elena: Every minute you two waste with your yapping is another minute we give Stefan and Damon to find us.

[Rebekah grabs Katherine by the chin with vampire speed.]

Rebekah: [compelling Katherine] Where's the cure?

Katherine: [smiles] I'm sorry, I'm on vervain.

Rebekah: Oh, I get to torture it out of you. Fun. [She releases Katherine's chin.]

Katherine: Why do you two want it, anyway?

Rebekah: The question is, why do you want it? Let me guess, to kill Niklaus?

Katherine: I've spend the last 500 years running from your big brother. I have no intention of being within sniffing distance of him. But, since it can be used against him, I'm sure he's just itching to get his hands on it. I give him the cure, he gives me my freedom.

Elena: [sighing loudly] Oh, you poor victim. Where's the part in your plan where you screw us over and somebody dies?

Katherine: I have no reason to screw you over.

[Rebekah chuckles]

Katherine: I know you don't believe me, but it is the truth. People change. I'm not the girl you think I am.

[Rebekah laughs again, Elena sighs. Rebekah aggressively searches Katherine's pockets with vampire speed.]

Katherine: I don't have it on me.

[Rebekah throws Katherine's phone to Elena.]

Rebekah: I didn't think you did. But I'm sure there's something in that, that can help us find it.

[Katherine looks worried as Elena searches Katherine's phone. Elena finds an appointment for 2PM that says "meet em".]

Elena: Who's "em"?

Katherine: [struggles to find words] ...A friend.

Elena: It says here you're meeting at 2.

[Katherine sighs, looks worried.]

Elena: I guess I'll just have to meet "em" myself.

[Elena smiles at Rebekah and she smiles back.]

KLAUS' MANSION

Willow: [shouting] I got your 50 bajillion messages. This better be life and death.

Klaus: [voiceover, gruff] Go away.

Willow: Klaus? Where are you?

[Willow finds Klaus shirtless sitting on the floor.]

Willow: What happened to you?

Klaus: I need more time. Stop hounding me!

Willow: We're hounding _you_? I'm supposed to be Help Caroline Design themes for the Prom.

Klaus: Willow. Is it really you?

[Willow looks surprised. Klaus tries to get up.]

Klaus: Prove it to me.

Willow: Okay, I don't know if this is some new way of flirting, but it sucks, and I have more important things to do.

[Willow turns around and starts to leave.]

Klaus: Wait, please. Silas. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. [Willow turns around.] There's a- a piece of it stuck inside me.

Willow: Why would Silas attack you?

Klaus: Well, I was in no position to ask questions. Suffice it to say, I'm hurt. So you can understand why I called you.

Willow: What If I do something wrong

Klaus: If I die, you, Tyler, all of your friends die with me.

[Willow thinks for a moment and then walks closer.]

Willow: What do you want me to do?

Klaus: Well, it's quite simple, really. I need you to cut the stake out of me.

[Klaus looks down at a pair of bloody pliers. Willow looks down at them, perturbed.]

ON A STREET

[Stefan and Damon are walking along the street.]

Damon: Something's not right. Katherine Pierce does not hole up in Hickstown, P-A.

Stefan: Well, this is definitely the car they stole. We're in the right place.

Damon: Points to them for their choice of vehicles.

Stefan: So let me ask you something. What happens when we find Elena? How do we get her back to Mystic Falls? I mean, she's not exactly gonna go quietly, and she has an Original vampire as her bodyguard.

Damon: We do whatever we have to do. I don't care if we have to throw Rebekah under a school bus and wrap Elena up in a burlap sack. We do whatever we have to do.

Stefan: I'm serious.

Damon: I am, too. I don't care what Elena wants right now. She's this close to going off the rails for good and that ain't happening. She's a pain enough as it is.

Stefan: So what happened to the guy who thought Elena should embrace being a vampire, let the chips fall where they may?

Damon: That guy got his neck snapped in New York and this guy is royally pissed off.

[Damon starts walking away.]

THE DINER

[Elena comes out of the restroom, closing a makeup compact, and returns to the table where Katherine and Rebekah are sitting).

Elena: [throwing her bag onto the seat and sitting] What do you think?

Rebekah: Hmm, it's close. Not quite slutty enough. I think you need more eyeliner.

[Katherine does not look amused. Elena laughs.]

Elena (to Katherine): I'm gonna need your clothes.

Katherine: [sarcastically] Yeah, that's gonna happen.

Elena: Fine. Your bracelet, watch, earrings. Hand them over.

[Elena pulls the fork out of Katherine's hand. Katherine starts taking off her jewelry and puts them on the table.]

Elena: And your other bracelet.

Katherine: That's my daylight bracelet. It's daytime outside. I'm gonna need it. Besides, it's not gonna work on you.

Elena: Fine. I really am gonna need that jacket, though.

[Katherine stares at her, not moving to take off the jacket. Elena motions for Rebekah to make Katherine comply. Rebekah grabs Katherine.]

Katherine: All right, fine. Fine, fine.

[Rebekah releases Katherine. She and Elena begin to take their jackets off at the same time.]

Katherine: This will never work, you know. The bad haircut, the doe eyes. You'll never pass for me.

[Katherine throws her jacket to Elena.]

Elena: [mimicking Katherine's voice] You'll never pass for me.

Rebekah: Throatier, more mannish.

Elena: [mimicking Katherine again, raspier] You'll never pass for me.

Katherine: You two are pathetic.

Elena: [mimicking Katherine] You two are pathetic.

Rebekah: Oh, perfect. Just the right level of contempt and hidden insecurity.

Elena: Almost there. Something's missing. [looking under the table] Your shoes. I want your shoes.

[Katherine looks at her, indignant.]

INSIDE A GAZEBO

[Elena is pacing, checking the time and looking around.]

Elena: Come on, Em.

THE DINER

[Rebekah is eating something and talking to Katherine.]

Rebekah: Mm. You know, it's funny. I've always been a little envious of the legend that is Katherine Pierce. The way you could wrap men around your little finger, the way Elijah betrayed Klaus for you, the way the Salvatore brothers stumbled head over heels for you. And yet, here we are, all these years later, in a town that you've had to compel into liking you. [she laughs] I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. It's really more sad than funny.

Katherine: You know you can't split the cure with Elena, right?

Rebekah: She doesn't want it.

Katherine: Oh, no? But you do, you want to take it? Are you really that dumb or just naturally blonde?

Rebekah: I want a normal life again.

Katherine: You mean you want a do-over. Well, guess what. You can't have it. The cure will only take away your immortality. Everything else you hate about yourself, you'll still wake up with that in the morning. And you won't even be able to compel yourself a friend.

[Katherine reaches for something on the table but Rebekah grabs her hand and starts crushing the bones in her arm when Stefan and Damon appear.]

Stefan: Ladies, playing nice?

[Damon sits down on the bench across from them, amused. Rebekah releases Katherine.]

Katherine: There goes the neighborhood.

Damon: I see you got Katherine already. [to Katherine] You're losing your touch, evil one.

[They all stare at each other.]

Stefan: [to Rebekah] Where's Elena?

INSIDE A GAZEBO

[Elena is still waiting when Elijah arrives.]

Elijah: Katerina.

[Elena is surprised but tries to recover.]

Elena: Elijah. You're a little late, aren't you?

Elijah: You colored your hair. [stroking her hair] I like it.

Elena: Thank you. It's actually gonna-

[Elijah interrupts her by kissing her. Elena is caught off guard but goes along with it. They finally part.]

Elijah: I missed you.

Elena: And I've missed you.

Elijah: This is an interesting little town you've chosen to settle down in. So do you have it with you?

Elena: Do I have what?

Elijah: The cure.

[Elijah notices Elena's hesitance, and while she talks he sees the daylight right on her hand.]

Elena: It's in a safe place. Why don't I go and get it and I'll bring it back?

[Elena starts to walk away but Elijah grabs her arm.]

Elijah: Where's Katherine, Elena?

THE DINER

[Damon, Stefan, Rebekah and Katherine are all sitting round the table.]

Rebekah: So let me get this straight: I tell you where Elena is, you shove the cure down her throat, and then I end up in a box, right? I don't think so.

Damon: [to Katherine] What about you over there, smiley? Do you know where she is?

Katherine: I can give you a hint. Start by looking at the town morgue. She's probably dead. [No one speaks, waiting for her to elaborate.] She went to meet up with a friend of mine. You may know him—an Original brother, impeccable taste.

Rebekah: [horrified] Elijah.

Damon: Elijah's here?

Stefan: Well, you sort of have to question Elijah's impeccable taste if he's friends with you.

Katherine: Oh, when I say friend, I mean _friend_.

[Damon and Rebekah groan in disgust.]

Katherine: It probably took him about 10 seconds to realise that she wasn't me, at which point he probably yanked her heart right out of her chest.

Stefan: All right. Where are they? [Katherine smiles and says nothing.] Rebekah, you do realise if something should happen to Elena, you have no chance of finding the cure, right?

Rebekah: Fine. They were supposed to meet at the gazebo by the park.

Stefan: [getting up] I'll go talk to Elijah.

Rebekah: You go deal with Elijah. Katherine will take us to the cure.

Katherine: No, she won't. The cure is my one chance to win my freedom back from Klaus.

Damon: You're gonna broker a deal with Klaus?

Stefan: No. She's gonna get Elijah to broker the deal for her. That's why you need your little friend, isn't it? Some things never change, Katherine.

Damon: Nope.

Katherine: Fine. [to Rebekah] Move. You have to follow me.

KLAUS' MANSION

[Klaus is bracing himself against the piano while Willow uses the pair of pliers to try to dig out the white oak stake.]

Willow: Oh, my god. You do have a heart.

[Klaus yells in pain through gritted teeth as Willow moves the pliers in his back.]

Willow: Oh, my bad. It's just a bloody rib.

Klaus: Well I'm glad you're finding my misery so amusing.

Willow: Ugh, I swear there's nothing in here. And if you think I'm having fun, you're insane.

Klaus: You can't even get your hands a little dirty for me. Here I thought we were becoming More then Friends Willow.

Willow:Klaus I am trying my best here

[She digs a little deeper into Klaus' back. He yells in pain and starts slamming his hand on the piano top.]

Wllow: I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry( Feeling his Pain through her Empathy Powers) This is differecult for me too.

[Klaus shudders in pain but doesn't respond.]

AT THE GAZEBO

[Stefan is ringing someone. The shots alternate between Stefan at the gazebo and Elijah in an alleyway. Elijah answers the phone.]

Elijah: Katerina?

Stefan: Hello, Elijah.

Elijah: Where is Katherine?

Stefan: Where's Elena?

Elijah: Safe. How long she remains so depends upon you.

Stefan: Well, I guess the same goes for Katherine.

Elijah: Oh, Katherine can take care of herself against the two of you.

Stefan: Oh you mean the three of us. 'Cause your little sister decided to join Team Good Guys for the time being.

[Elijah is clearly angry about this but remains calm.]

Elijah: Put her on the phone.

Stefan: Well, she's not here right now. I left her with Damon and Katherine.

Elijah: Tell me where they are.

Stefan: Relax. No one's gonna get hurt as long as Katherine hands over the cure.

Elijah: Do you understand how much my sister despises Katherine? I assure you, Rebekah will end her the moment she ceases to be of use.

Stefan: Well, just tell me where you are, and we can talk this through.

Elijah: You listen to me very carefully, Stefan. If anything whatsoever happens to Katherine, I will descend upon Elena.

[He hangs up. Elena is leaning against a wall.]

Elena: You're both idiots.

Elijah: Excuse me?

Elena: [sighing loudly] Ugh. What happened to you, Elijah? I mean, I thought you were supposed to be a man of honor, and yet you've been hooking up with Katherine this entire time?

Elijah: Well, I suppose this man of honour always shared a connection with Katherine. She contacted me when she learned about the cure. We thought we could be of mutual use to one another.

Elena: [laughing] "Of mutual use"? Please. You fell for her trap just like every other one of those idiots.

Elijah: You underestimate me, Elena. I know who she is. I know what she's done.

Elena: And you think she's changed? She's playing you. She lied to you, Elijah.

Elijah: She didn't lie to me about your transformation. [They look at each other for a moment.] You're not just a vampire, though, are you? [Elena shrugs] There's something else. You... you're not yourself. You've abandoned your emotions. Why?

Elena: My brother's dead. Your girlfriend killed him. [Elijah seems shocked] You didn't know? [scoffs] Of course you didn't.

Elijah: She lied.

Elena: I hate to say I told you so, but... duh!

KATHERINE'S HOUSE

[Damon, Rebekah and Katherine enter through the front door. Damon pushes Katherine inside.]

Damon: No sudden moves. No tricks either. No Katherine-ing.

[Katherine walks further into the house while Damon and Rebekah look around.]

Damon: Wow. A quilt and a fish aquarium. Who the hell are you?

Rebekah: A very old lady with dreadful taste.

[Katherine has been removing things from a bookshelf and opens a hidden safe. She moves her hands around inside it.]

Katherine: It's gone. The cure, it was in the safe, but it's not there.

Damon: [imitates a buzzer] Not falling for it. Where is it, Auntie Katherine?

Katherine: I swear it was in the safe.

Rebekah: What, just like Elijah's really your boyfriend and this is really your life? And for all we know, this isn't even your house.

Damon: Yeah, it doesn't look like the Katherine I know.

Katherine: Maybe you don't know Katherine at all. Did it ever occur to you that you have no idea who I really am?

Damon: Did it ever occur to you that you're not that deep? This whole small-town girl thing, we all know it's an act.

Rebekah: Where is the cure?

[Katherine looks at her with a hint of a smile and Rebekah vamp-speeds at her. Damon throws his arm out to stop her.]

Damon: Whoa, whoa. Hang on. We need her alive. The cure's not here. You check upstairs. I'll check down. I got this.

[Katherine is smiling. Rebekah walks away to go upstairs.]

Damon: So if I was a paranoid, distrustful sociopath, where would I keep my most prized possession?

Katherine: [chuckling] This should be fun.

Damon: [searching the room] Because I'd want it to be close, but not on me. Accessible but not obvious. I'd want to keep it safe, but not so safe that it'd be too difficult to grab and run. [stopping in front of the fish tank] Well, that is a fancy little treasure chest—in a tank with no fish. [Katherine says nothing] I think I'm gonna have to check that out.

[Damon sticks his hand into the water but is immediately burned.]

Damon: Aah! Gah! Vervain water. Looks like we have a winner.

[Damon picks up a large net to scoop out the chest. Before he can, Katherine vamp-speeds at him and shoves his head into the vervain water, holds him there for several seconds then throws him to the floor. Damon writhes in pain and Katherine gets the chest out. She runs to the door but Rebekah appears in front of her.]

Rebekah: Give it to me or you're dead.

Katherine: You're gonna kill me anyway. So what's more important to you, huh? Killing me or getting the cure?

[She holds up a small pill-shaped object and throws it into the air behind her. Rebekah runs to catch it, and Katherine dashes out the front door. Damon, his face healing, is still on the floor.]

Damon: [raspily] Look, Rebekah... Don't even think about it.

[Rebekah gets up, still in awe that she finally has the cure. Damon's voice still sounds very raspy.]

Damon: Let's just talk about this, like the two rational vampires that we are. Rebekah?

Rebekah: [staring at the object in her hand] Oh, give it a rest. Me taking this cure is the best thing that'll ever happen to you.

Damon: Don't do anything stupid.

Rebekah: Admit it. You don't want human-Elena running back to Stefan whilst you're left out in the cold again. Go on, Damon. Tell me why you want Elena to have the cure.

[Still on the floor, Damon says nothing.]

Rebekah: [smiling] That's what I thought.

[Rebekah pops open the pill when Stefan arrives at the open front door. She tosses it back into her mouth.]

Stefan: No!

[Rebekah gasps for a few seconds and falls down onto the sofa. Damon rests his head on the floor.]

KLAUS' MANSION

[Caroline is sitting on the sofa looking at her phone while Klaus, propped up on the back of another sofa, is still reaching round at the wound in his back Willow is desperatly trying to find the Stake in his back.]

Klaus: [moaning] I can feel the splinters moving towards my heart. Help me!

Caroline: Your word first.

Klaus: And what makes you think I won't simply break my word?

Caroline: [looking up from her phone] You wanna be friends? Friendship—Stage One. Show me that I can trust you.

Klaus: [angrily] I saved your life—twice.

Caroline: Because you put it in danger—twice. Why can't you just do something decent for once?

Klaus: Because Tyler Lockwood tried to kill me!

Caroline: We've all tried to kill you. [standing] And you've tried to kill most of us. How do you think that you deserve my friendship when you've done nothing to earn it?

Willow: Stop this both of you this is Not helping matters none

[Klaus stands and approaches Caroline quickly.]

Klaus: [shouting] I will not have my hand forced by you or anyone else!

Caroline: [raising her voice] What is wrong with you? I'm reaching out to you despite everything that you've done, and you still can't get out of your own way. God! I feel sorry for you.

[She turns away but Klaus vamp-speeds to block her way.]

Klaus: Don't turn your back on me!

Caroline: [shouting emotionally] I should have turned my back on you ages ago!

[They remain silent for a moment.]

Klaus: It's gone.

Willow: What?

Klaus: The pain. [He reaches round to his back.] The—the pain is gone. [realizing something] It was—it was never there. He got in my head. Silas... [gesturing at his temple] ...got inside my head. [He takes Caroline's hand.] You took my mind off it. You brought me back, Caroline.

[Caroline takes her hand back gently and turns around, bringing her hands to her head and walking a few steps. She turns back to Klaus.]

Caroline: If Silas can make you, of all people, believe that you're dying... what can he do to the rest of us?

KATHERINE'S HOUSE

[Rebekah is still unconscious on the sofa. Stefan is looking at the fish tank and talking to Damon, who has finally gotten up.]

Stefan: Did you even try to stop her?

Damon: You forgot the part where I was bobbing for boxes in vervain water.

Stefan: All you had to do was stall her, Damon.

Damon: Sorry. It's Rebekah. I didn't have a pony to distract her, Stefan.

Stefan: You let her take it, didn't you? You were never on my side. Now Elena will be a vampire for the rest of her life just like you wanted.

[Rebekah gasps suddenly and wakes up.]

IN AN ALLEYWAY

[Elena is sitting on the step in front of a doorway while Elijah paces slowly.]

Elijah: I know what it feels like to lose a brother. And I'm sorry for your pain. I... I only hope that you can find your way back to yourself someday.

[Smiling ruefully, Elena stands up.]

Elena: Just like you hope Katherine will find _her_ way back? You still think that innocent girl you saved from Klaus ages ago is in there somewhere?

Elijah: I'd like to think so, yes.

Elena: She's not. She's a monster now, Elijah. The sweet peasant girl you fell in love with way back when is dead. And she's not coming back.

Elijah: I'm not a fool, Elena. Of course this has occurred to me, but what kind of man would I be if I didn't try to find my Katerina beneath this... Katherine façade?

Elena: You boys are all the same. Damon and Stefan still think that the girl they love is still in here somewhere, too.

Elijah: You can't blame them for having hope, Elena. It'd be a shame if the world lost a soul as compassionate as yours.

Elena: "Your compassion is a gift, Elena. Carry it with you always and forever." I remember reading that in a letter once.

Elijah: Well, the writer sounds positively gifted. I'm sure he meant what he wrote.

Elena: I'm sure he did. And it felt good to watch that letter burn, along with my old life and along with Jeremy's body.

[Suddenly someone attacks Elena from behind, snapping her neck. Elena falls to the ground and Katherine appears.]

Katherine: Sorry. I got held up.

KATHERINE'S HOUSE

[Rebekah has sat up on the sofa and looks refreshed, her mouth open in wonder. Damon is standing near a bookshelf and Stefan sits down on the coffee table opposite her.]

Stefan: How do you feel?

Rebekah: [smiling] I- I feel good. I... I feel great. I feel alive.

Damon: Slight problem with being alive—I can kill you know.

[Damon throws a letter opener at Rebekah and she catches it with vampire speed. She and Stefan watch as the gash on her hand heals before their eyes. Rebekah gasps in horror while Stefan sighs with relief.]

Rebekah: I'm still a vampire. The cure didn't work.

Stefan: It worked just like she wanted it to. The cure was a fake. It must've been a concentrated shot of vervain or something.

[Rebekah is still in shock, her mouth hanging open.]

Damon: [with slight admiration] Katherine.

IN AN ALLEYWAY

[Katherine and Elijah are talking in the alleyway.]

Katherine: Oh, come on. She could use a nap. It must be exhausting trying to be me.

[Elijah is crouched over Elena's lifeless form.]

Elijah: You killed Jeremy Gilbert.

Katherine: [exhaling in resignation] Yes, Elijah, I killed Jeremy Gilbert, a bombshell I'm sure she just couldn't wait to drop on you. Ironic, since she supposedly doesn't care about anything.

Elijah: Well, I care. [standing] Do you honestly feel nothing for this girl, a girl fated to live the same life that you've endured? And now you've just taken away the last of her family, just as yours was taken away from you.

Katherine: [smiling defensively] Uh, why are you looking at me like I enjoyed it? [Elijah starts walking away and Katherine follows him.] Jeremy was collateral damage. I was doing what I needed to do to survive.

Elijah: Is that what I am to you? A means of survival?

Katherine: Don't let sweet little Elena get to you. She hates me. She wants you to turn against me and convince you that I can't be trusted.

Elijah: I asked you a question.

Katherine: No. Of course you're not a means of survival. You looked out for me when I had no one. You're giving me a second chance now when no one else will. I love you. [She places a hand on his cheek.] Elijah. [He pulls his face away from her hand.] You don't believe me.

Elijah: I want to. It's my disease. I just keep wanting to believe you, but how can I when at every turn, you give me a reason to doubt you? I don't know you. [He chuckles softly.] I don't know that I ever will.

[Elijah turns and walks away. Katherine goes after him.]

Katherine: [grabbing his arm] Wait. You gave me your word that you would talk to Klaus. I-I can't make a deal without you.

[Elijah looks at her for a moment.]

Elijah: Good-bye, Katherine.

[Katherine watches him walk away.]

THE FRONT PORCH OF A HOUSE

[It's nighttime. Katherine approaches the front door of a house and knocks. The girl that Elena and Rebekah talked to earlier in the day opens the door.]

Girl: Katherine, hey. What brings you by at this hour?

Katherine: I came to retrieve my package.

Girl: Oh, of course. Like I said, your secret would be safe here.

[The girl walks into the house and returns shortly with a small box, handing it to Katherine. Katherine opens it and looks inside; it contains a small pill-shaped object, inside of which is some reddish liquid.]

Girl: Hey, um... all the secrecy. Can I ask, what is it?

Katherine: It's my freedom.

[She closes the box.]

ON A STREET

[Elijah is walking down a sidewak when Katherine approaches him. He starts to pass her.]

Katherine: Wait.

Elijah: [stopping] What do you want?

Katherine: To tell you that you're right. I've spent so much time running and lying just to survive that I don't- I'm starting to believe my own lies. I don't even remember who I was when we first met. And I want to find out.

[She reaches into her purse and pulls out the small box.]

Elijah: You have the cure.

Katherine: Yeah. And I can shove this down Klaus' throat and try to kill him, but even if I manage to do it... I'd lose you. And I don't want that to happen.

Elijah: [emotional] How do I know this isn't another lie? Katherine Pierce deceiving yet another man.

[Katherine takes his hand and puts the box into it, holding hers over it.]

Katherine: Because I meant what I said about my feelings for you. And I'd like to think that you feel something for me, too. I need you to trust me. I _want_ you to trust me... Just like I'm trusting you. You don't owe me anything. I'm gonna let you decide where we go from here.

[Katherine passes him and walks away. Elijah opens the box, looks at the cure, then closes the box and crosses the street. On the other side, Rebekah hops down from her perch on a parked car.]

Rebekah: You and Katherine? And I thought you were the smart brother.

Elijah: You don't have a smart brother. It turns out I'm just as stupid as the rest of you.

Rebekah: Why don't you just give me the cure so I can judge you silently elsewhere?

Elijah: And what could you possibly want with the cure?

Rebekah: I want to be human again.

Elijah: How do you know that being human is the answer you're looking for? I mean, it's nothing but a romantic notion. The grass won't necessarily be greener, Rebekah.

Rebekah: You're probably right. But I don't care. I want to live a simple life as a normal person. And when it ends, it ends. We've had 20 lifetimes together, Elijah. Isn't that enough?

Elijah: I just don't understand. I mean, why must you always consider our family a burden? Always and forever. I mean, those words are as important to me today as they—as they ever were.

Rebekah: You will always be my brother. And I will never stop loving you. But now it's time for me to live and die the way that I choose, not the way you and Nik want me to. Please. Please just give me the cure.

[Rebekah's phone starts ringing. She digs it out of her bag and answers it.]

Rebekah: What do you want, Nik?

[The shots alternate between Rebekah and Elijah on the street and Klaus at the mansion.]

Klaus: An update on our search for the elusive cure.

Rebekah: Let's just say that things have gotten complicated. In fact, why don't you speak to one of those complications? Here.

[She hands the phone to Elijah and walks around to the other side of the car. She and Elijah get into the car.]

Elijah: Complication speaking.

Klaus: [smiling] Big brother. At last you join the fray.

Elijah: Somebody had to take charge. And now that I have, I've got the cure and I'm bringing it back to Mystic Falls.

Klaus: With a long list of demands, I assume.

Elijah: Not that long.

Klaus: Come home, brother. We'll settle this like family.

[Klaus hangs up. Caroline enters the room, wiping her hands on a towel.]

Caroline: I used all your bleach.

[She starts to walk past Klaus but he reaches out and grabs her arm. She turns to him.]

Klaus: Hey. Thank you for helping me.

Caroline: Yeah. [She pauses awkwardly.] Well, if you need anything else... _don't_ call me. I have a prom to plan.

[She turns and walks away.]

Klaus: [smiling] Friends, then?

[Caroline pauses, then turns back round.]

Caroline: Are you gonna let Tyler come back into town?

[Klaus' face falls and he doesn't say anything. Caroline shakes her head slightly, then turns away.]

Klaus: You might have noticed... [Caroline faces him again] I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him, am I?

[Caroline smiles, then finally leaves the room. Klaus smiles as is just standing grabbing some of her stuff she Left]

Klaus: Going Home Love you can stay another Night( Pulling her in his arms but frowns as she stebs back)

Willow: I would love to but even though what we shared you still Like Caroline more then Me I see the way you Look at her even though I care about you more Its still your decision on who you Love more I am sorry Klaus Please Understand that I just don't want to get Hurt.

Klaus:( Hugging her to him as he Kisses her On the Mouth Hungerly) Is the someone who Cares more for Caroline then You Now Yes maybe I need to work on some things like what we feel for each other but Now that Caroline and I are just friends Nothing more because she has Tyler.

Willow:( Nods) I understand Klaus so I will just be going Home just No that there isn't any Hurry just take the Time you need to Get the Cure and dealing with Silas Call me when ever you need to talk.

Klaus: Okay just make sure you Protect yourself there is No telling what Silas is Up to know so I will Call you later to make sure that you made it Home.

(Willow Nods and Smiles at him then Leaves the Room)

ON A STREET

[Damon and Stefan are walking down a sidewalk.]

Damon: All right, you're right. I let Rebekah take the cure. [He stops and turns to face Stefan.] I thought for a second—I mean, literally just a second—If Rebekah takes this, then all my problems go away. And I couldn't think of one good reason to give it to Elena. And then Rebekah took it. And I realized how badly I screwed up.

Stefan: So what's your point, Damon?

Damon: My point is, I'm sorry, okay? I had a moment of weakness, Stefan. It's my thing. It's like you and I falling for the same girl. It's _our_ thing.

Stefan: _Was_ our thing. Look, we've been making the same mistakes for 150 years. We can judge Katherine all we want, but we keep repeating our own history just like she is. Nothing ever changes. It has to stop, Damon.

Damon: What are you talking about?

Stefan: I'm done. I can't keep reliving my life like this. I owe Elena her shot at being normal again. Once we give her the cure, I'm getting her out of my life, and I'm getting a life of my own.

Damon: [nodding] Okay. Okay, let's just get the cure, and then we'll talk about you riding off into the sunset all by your lonesome.

Stefan: You still want to get the cure, even if it means you might lose her?

Damon: It's a chance I'm willing to take, Stefan.

Stefan: Well, I guess all we have to do is, ah, convince her.

[He walks past Damon. They enter the diner, where Elena is sitting at a table by herself. Jolene, the waitress from earlier, sees them walk in.]

Jolene: Sit anywhere you'd like.

[Damon and Stefan slide into the booth and sit next to Elena.]

Stefan: You all right?

[Elena looks at them but says nothing.]

Damon: What's up with the silent treatment? You're the one that texted us and wanted to meet up.

Elena: You know I don't want the cure. You need to know that I never will and I'm done talking about it. So... will you accept that and let me be who I am, or not?

[Damon and Stefan exchange looks.]

Damon: Yeah... no.

Stefan: Elena, this isn't you.

Elena: It is now. And you two really need to accept it. Because if you don't, there will be consequences.

[Elena takes a sip from her mug and the brothers look at each other again.]

Stefan: Listen, I was in the exact same situation that you're in right now. My emotions were off. I wasn't me. And you refused to accept that. You didn't give up on me. You didn't stop until you pulled me back.

[Elena sets down her mug. Jolene comes back.]

Jolene: Let me just top that off for you.

Elena: [smiling] Thanks.

[Elena vamp-speeds up and snaps Jolene's neck. Her body falls to the floor as the pitcher of coffee shatters.]

Damon: Oh!

Elena: Like I said, consequences. That's one body you're responsible for. If you keep trying to fix me, there'll be a second, a twentieth, and a hundredth. It's your choice.

[She walks away and leaves the diner as Damon and Stefan look at the body.]

Damon: Still ready to ride off into the sunset?

[END CREDITS]


	18. American Gothic

American Gothic

A SMALL TOWN IN PENNSYLVANIA

[Elena speeds into a street parking space with Rebekah in the passenger seat. They get out of the car.]

Rebekah: [indignantly] Why are we stopping?

Elena: We've searched 3 cities in the last 24 hours, I'm sick of Top 40 radio, and I smell like leather.

Rebekah: And that's my fault? You are the one who stole the list of Katherine's possible whereabouts, did you ever think that Damon had bad information?

Elena: [looking around] Have I mentioned I can't stand the sound of your voice?

Rebekah: Too bad. We're not done. Get in, next town.

[Elena has spotted a girl walking to her car.]

Elena: In a minute. I'm hungry.

Rebekah: We're not here for a pub crawl, Elena! I want the cure, Katherine has it. We don't stop until we find her.

Elena: [turning back to face Rebekah] I said in a minute.

[The girl is putting stuff into the passenger seat of her car. Elena makes her jump by appearing next to her suddenly.]

Girl: Oh, my god, you startled me.

Elena: Did I?

[Elena vamps out and starts to go for the girl's neck.]

Girl: Katherine, what are you doing?

[Rebekah raises her eyebrows; Elena stops and pulls back.]

Elena: You know me?

Girl: Of course. And I know most people around here prefer you to feed from the neck, but I asked you to drink from my wrist, remember?

[The girl pulls back her sleeve and reveals two puncture marks.]

Rebekah: [laughing] The conniving little bitch compelled the whole town.

Elena: [smiling] I think we just found Katherine.

Elena: What's my full name?

Girl: Katherine Pierce. I love the new 'do, by the way.

Rebekah: So how do you know Katherine?

Girl: [looking at Rebekah] How do I know who?

Elena: Me. How do you know me?

Girl: [looking at Elena] Small town, everybody knows everybody.

Rebekah: So everyone here knows Katherine?

Girl: [looking at Rebekah] I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about.

Rebekah: [to Elena, laughing] She compelled people to forget all about her unless she's talking to them herself. Clever girl.

Elena: [to the girl] How long have we known each other?

Girl: It's— been a while. I can't remember.

Elena: Where do I live? Where do I work?

Girl: I don't know.

Elena: Who do I spend time with? Do I have any friends?

Girl: Well, you said we could all be friends with you, as long as we kept your secret.

Elena: What secret?

Girl: [confused] I—I don't know.

ON THE SIDE OF A ROAD

[Damon and Stefan have gotten out of their car and are walking towards Damon's car. Damon is carrying two large containers.]

Damon: If they so much as even scratched the paint on my car…

Stefan: Well, just be grateful Sheriff Forbes was able to track down the car after you let them, ah, you know—steal it from you.

Damon: Remind me to send her some mini-muffins. Do we really need 10 gallons of gas, or are you making me just lug this around as punishment?

Stefan: Well, they ditched your car after it ran out of fuel. You gotta fill it up. Got a hundred miles before we get to Willoughby.

Damon: Yeah, well I don't remember that name from the list of places I got from New York.

Stefan: [amused] Oh, the list? The list they stole from right under your nose, after you let your guard down? They'll be there. Sheriff Forbes tracked down the car they stole after yours.

Damon: [filling his tank with gasoline]Screw the muffins. I'll get her champagne—if Elena is wherever it may be.

Stefan: [smiling] Willoughby. Creamed corn capital of Pennsylvania. They'll be there. Let's just hope we get to them before they get to the cure.

Damon: Ooh, silver lining: if Rebekah takes the cure, then she's mortal and we can just kill her right then and there.

Stefan: Ooh, dark cloud: Elena stays a vampire forever. Look, why don't you just table the revenge fantasies for now, and just keep your eye on the prize. Find Katherine, get the cure, get out before you get your neck snapped—again.

Damon: Believe me, I learned my lesson. Elena without humanity is a stone-cold bitch, and I won't trust her until we get the old Elena back.

Stefan: Look at that. We're finally on the same page about something.

Damon: Look at that.

KLAUS' MANSION

[Klaus is feverishly trying to get the piece of white oak stake out of his back. He is scratching his own flesh off, leaving the wound on his back a bloody mess. Willow' enters.]

Willow: Klaus, we need to talk. [Klaus is moaning in pain] What happened to you?

Klaus: Silas. He attacked me. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. A piece of it—is still inside me.

Willow: Oh my god, Klaus, that could kill you.

Klaus: [laughing humorlessly] Well, I certainly feel like I'm dying.

[Willow reaches for Klaus' face, stroking it. When she speaks, she doesn't sound like Willow.]

Willow: Hey. As much as I would love to watch you die, you still haven't found me that cure.

Klaus: Silas!

[Klaus pushes Willow/Silas away and falls to the floor.]

Willow/Silas: That's right. Last night I looked like Shane, today I look like Willow, and tomorrow—who knows?

Klaus: [through gritted teeth] Show me your real face.

Willow/Silas: Now why would I do that when I can look like whomever I want you to see?

[Silas approaches and Klaus shudders in fear.]

Willow/Silas: Resist me all you want, Klaus, but until you bring me the cure I will bring you nothing but misery.

[Willow/Silas disappears and Klaus relaxes painfully.]

OUTSIDE THE POST OFFICE

[Rebekah and Elena are walking over to a postal worker.]

Elena: Hey, excuse me, um... Do I have any mail today?

Man: What happened to your hair?

Elena: I cut it.

Man: In the last two minutes?

Elena: I was here two minutes ago?

Man: Are you feeling okay, Miss Pierce?

Elena: Yeah, I'm- I'm fine. Um, thanks.

[The man nods and walks away.]

Elena: [to Rebekah] She was here two minutes ago. That means that she can't be that far. Um—how about you check inside. I'll look in the parking lot.

Rebekah: Okay.

[They leave in different directions. Elena walks over to the parking lot. She sees a girl with dark curly hair in a black car. Thinking it could be Katherine, she hides behind a van. From her hiding place she watches the girl, but the girl gets out of a car and it is not Katherine. Elena relaxes. Suddenly someone grabs Elena from behind and shoves her against the van - Katherine has Elena pinned by the neck.]

Katherine: I'm impressed. I never thought you'd find me here. [Katherine starts choking Elena.] Oh, well. It's a beautiful place to die.

[From behind, Rebekah grabs Katherine's neck and pushes her to the ground.]

Rebekah: I couldn't agree more. You've chosen a beautiful place to die.

[Elena smiles and Katherine is shocked.]

INSIDE A DINER

[Rebekah is sitting next to Katherine and Elena sits opposite Katherine.]

Elena: Where's the cure?

Katherine: What? No 'I'm here to avenge my annoying little brother' speech?

Elena: People die. We move on.

[Elena drinks from a mug, expressionless. Rebekah looks at Elena, who keeps looking at Katherine.]

Katherine: After turning off our humanity switch. So sad for the boys, though. Their special snowflake of human frailty... gone. Well, if we're gonna be a while, I'm gonna go grab some menus.

[Katherine starts to stand up but Rebekah stabs her hand with a fork and Katherine moans in pain.]

Rebekah: You're not going anywhere.

Katherine: [through her teeth] I forgot how charming you were.

Rebekah: I'm surprised you remember me at all, seeing as though you were so busy wedging yourself between my brothers.

[The waitress stops at their table.]

Waitress: Oh, my god. What happened?

[They look up at her. No one says anything, so Elena kicks Katherine in the foot, and smiles up at the waitress.]

Katherine: [sighing] I'm fine, Jolene. [compelling her] You didn't see anything.

[The waitress nods, smiles and leaves. Rebekah is smiling at Elena.]

Elena: Every minute you two waste with your yapping is another minute we give Stefan and Damon to find us.

[Rebekah grabs Katherine by the chin with vampire speed.]

Rebekah: [compelling Katherine] Where's the cure?

Katherine: [smiles] I'm sorry, I'm on vervain.

Rebekah: Oh, I get to torture it out of you. Fun. [She releases Katherine's chin.]

Katherine: Why do you two want it, anyway?

Rebekah: The question is, why do you want it? Let me guess, to kill Niklaus?

Katherine: I've spend the last 500 years running from your big brother. I have no intention of being within sniffing distance of him. But, since it can be used against him, I'm sure he's just itching to get his hands on it. I give him the cure, he gives me my freedom.

Elena: [sighing loudly] Oh, you poor victim. Where's the part in your plan where you screw us over and somebody dies?

Katherine: I have no reason to screw you over.

[Rebekah chuckles]

Katherine: I know you don't believe me, but it is the truth. People change. I'm not the girl you think I am.

[Rebekah laughs again, Elena sighs. Rebekah aggressively searches Katherine's pockets with vampire speed.]

Katherine: I don't have it on me.

[Rebekah throws Katherine's phone to Elena.]

Rebekah: I didn't think you did. But I'm sure there's something in that, that can help us find it.

[Katherine looks worried as Elena searches Katherine's phone. Elena finds an appointment for 2PM that says "meet em".]

Elena: Who's "em"?

Katherine: [struggles to find words] ...A friend.

Elena: It says here you're meeting at 2.

[Katherine sighs, looks worried.]

Elena: I guess I'll just have to meet "em" myself.

[Elena smiles at Rebekah and she smiles back.]

KLAUS' MANSION

Willow: [shouting] I got your 50 bajillion messages. This better be life and death.

Klaus: [voiceover, gruff] Go away.

Willow: Klaus? Where are you?

[Willow finds Klaus shirtless sitting on the floor.]

Willow: What happened to you?

Klaus: I need more time. Stop hounding me!

Willow: We're hounding _you_? I'm supposed to be Help Caroline Design themes for the Prom.

Klaus: Willow. Is it really you?

[Willow looks surprised. Klaus tries to get up.]

Klaus: Prove it to me.

Willow: Okay, I don't know if this is some new way of flirting, but it sucks, and I have more important things to do.

[Willow turns around and starts to leave.]

Klaus: Wait, please. Silas. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. [Willow turns around.] There's a- a piece of it stuck inside me.

Willow: Why would Silas attack you?

Klaus: Well, I was in no position to ask questions. Suffice it to say, I'm hurt. So you can understand why I called you.

Willow: What If I do something wrong

Klaus: If I die, you, Tyler, all of your friends die with me.

[Willow thinks for a moment and then walks closer.]

Willow: What do you want me to do?

Klaus: Well, it's quite simple, really. I need you to cut the stake out of me.

[Klaus looks down at a pair of bloody pliers. Willow looks down at them, perturbed.]

ON A STREET

[Stefan and Damon are walking along the street.]

Damon: Something's not right. Katherine Pierce does not hole up in Hickstown, P-A.

Stefan: Well, this is definitely the car they stole. We're in the right place.

Damon: Points to them for their choice of vehicles.

Stefan: So let me ask you something. What happens when we find Elena? How do we get her back to Mystic Falls? I mean, she's not exactly gonna go quietly, and she has an Original vampire as her bodyguard.

Damon: We do whatever we have to do. I don't care if we have to throw Rebekah under a school bus and wrap Elena up in a burlap sack. We do whatever we have to do.

Stefan: I'm serious.

Damon: I am, too. I don't care what Elena wants right now. She's this close to going off the rails for good and that ain't happening. She's a pain enough as it is.

Stefan: So what happened to the guy who thought Elena should embrace being a vampire, let the chips fall where they may?

Damon: That guy got his neck snapped in New York and this guy is royally pissed off.

[Damon starts walking away.]

THE DINER

[Elena comes out of the restroom, closing a makeup compact, and returns to the table where Katherine and Rebekah are sitting).

Elena: [throwing her bag onto the seat and sitting] What do you think?

Rebekah: Hmm, it's close. Not quite slutty enough. I think you need more eyeliner.

[Katherine does not look amused. Elena laughs.]

Elena (to Katherine): I'm gonna need your clothes.

Katherine: [sarcastically] Yeah, that's gonna happen.

Elena: Fine. Your bracelet, watch, earrings. Hand them over.

[Elena pulls the fork out of Katherine's hand. Katherine starts taking off her jewelry and puts them on the table.]

Elena: And your other bracelet.

Katherine: That's my daylight bracelet. It's daytime outside. I'm gonna need it. Besides, it's not gonna work on you.

Elena: Fine. I really am gonna need that jacket, though.

[Katherine stares at her, not moving to take off the jacket. Elena motions for Rebekah to make Katherine comply. Rebekah grabs Katherine.]

Katherine: All right, fine. Fine, fine.

[Rebekah releases Katherine. She and Elena begin to take their jackets off at the same time.]

Katherine: This will never work, you know. The bad haircut, the doe eyes. You'll never pass for me.

[Katherine throws her jacket to Elena.]

Elena: [mimicking Katherine's voice] You'll never pass for me.

Rebekah: Throatier, more mannish.

Elena: [mimicking Katherine again, raspier] You'll never pass for me.

Katherine: You two are pathetic.

Elena: [mimicking Katherine] You two are pathetic.

Rebekah: Oh, perfect. Just the right level of contempt and hidden insecurity.

Elena: Almost there. Something's missing. [looking under the table] Your shoes. I want your shoes.

[Katherine looks at her, indignant.]

INSIDE A GAZEBO

[Elena is pacing, checking the time and looking around.]

Elena: Come on, Em.

THE DINER

[Rebekah is eating something and talking to Katherine.]

Rebekah: Mm. You know, it's funny. I've always been a little envious of the legend that is Katherine Pierce. The way you could wrap men around your little finger, the way Elijah betrayed Klaus for you, the way the Salvatore brothers stumbled head over heels for you. And yet, here we are, all these years later, in a town that you've had to compel into liking you. [she laughs] I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. It's really more sad than funny.

Katherine: You know you can't split the cure with Elena, right?

Rebekah: She doesn't want it.

Katherine: Oh, no? But you do, you want to take it? Are you really that dumb or just naturally blonde?

Rebekah: I want a normal life again.

Katherine: You mean you want a do-over. Well, guess what. You can't have it. The cure will only take away your immortality. Everything else you hate about yourself, you'll still wake up with that in the morning. And you won't even be able to compel yourself a friend.

[Katherine reaches for something on the table but Rebekah grabs her hand and starts crushing the bones in her arm when Stefan and Damon appear.]

Stefan: Ladies, playing nice?

[Damon sits down on the bench across from them, amused. Rebekah releases Katherine.]

Katherine: There goes the neighborhood.

Damon: I see you got Katherine already. [to Katherine] You're losing your touch, evil one.

[They all stare at each other.]

Stefan: [to Rebekah] Where's Elena?

INSIDE A GAZEBO

[Elena is still waiting when Elijah arrives.]

Elijah: Katerina.

[Elena is surprised but tries to recover.]

Elena: Elijah. You're a little late, aren't you?

Elijah: You colored your hair. [stroking her hair] I like it.

Elena: Thank you. It's actually gonna-

[Elijah interrupts her by kissing her. Elena is caught off guard but goes along with it. They finally part.]

Elijah: I missed you.

Elena: And I've missed you.

Elijah: This is an interesting little town you've chosen to settle down in. So do you have it with you?

Elena: Do I have what?

Elijah: The cure.

[Elijah notices Elena's hesitance, and while she talks he sees the daylight right on her hand.]

Elena: It's in a safe place. Why don't I go and get it and I'll bring it back?

[Elena starts to walk away but Elijah grabs her arm.]

Elijah: Where's Katherine, Elena?

THE DINER

[Damon, Stefan, Rebekah and Katherine are all sitting round the table.]

Rebekah: So let me get this straight: I tell you where Elena is, you shove the cure down her throat, and then I end up in a box, right? I don't think so.

Damon: [to Katherine] What about you over there, smiley? Do you know where she is?

Katherine: I can give you a hint. Start by looking at the town morgue. She's probably dead. [No one speaks, waiting for her to elaborate.] She went to meet up with a friend of mine. You may know him—an Original brother, impeccable taste.

Rebekah: [horrified] Elijah.

Damon: Elijah's here?

Stefan: Well, you sort of have to question Elijah's impeccable taste if he's friends with you.

Katherine: Oh, when I say friend, I mean _friend_.

[Damon and Rebekah groan in disgust.]

Katherine: It probably took him about 10 seconds to realise that she wasn't me, at which point he probably yanked her heart right out of her chest.

Stefan: All right. Where are they? [Katherine smiles and says nothing.] Rebekah, you do realise if something should happen to Elena, you have no chance of finding the cure, right?

Rebekah: Fine. They were supposed to meet at the gazebo by the park.

Stefan: [getting up] I'll go talk to Elijah.

Rebekah: You go deal with Elijah. Katherine will take us to the cure.

Katherine: No, she won't. The cure is my one chance to win my freedom back from Klaus.

Damon: You're gonna broker a deal with Klaus?

Stefan: No. She's gonna get Elijah to broker the deal for her. That's why you need your little friend, isn't it? Some things never change, Katherine.

Damon: Nope.

Katherine: Fine. [to Rebekah] Move. You have to follow me.

KLAUS' MANSION

[Klaus is bracing himself against the piano while Willow uses the pair of pliers to try to dig out the white oak stake.]

Willow: Oh, my god. You do have a heart.

[Klaus yells in pain through gritted teeth as Willow moves the pliers in his back.]

Willow: Oh, my bad. It's just a bloody rib.

Klaus: Well I'm glad you're finding my misery so amusing.

Willow: Ugh, I swear there's nothing in here. And if you think I'm having fun, you're insane.

Klaus: You can't even get your hands a little dirty for me. Here I thought we were becoming More then Friends Willow.

Willow:Klaus I am trying my best here

[She digs a little deeper into Klaus' back. He yells in pain and starts slamming his hand on the piano top.]

Wllow: I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry( Feeling his Pain through her Empathy Powers) This is differecult for me too.

[Klaus shudders in pain but doesn't respond.]

AT THE GAZEBO

[Stefan is ringing someone. The shots alternate between Stefan at the gazebo and Elijah in an alleyway. Elijah answers the phone.]

Elijah: Katerina?

Stefan: Hello, Elijah.

Elijah: Where is Katherine?

Stefan: Where's Elena?

Elijah: Safe. How long she remains so depends upon you.

Stefan: Well, I guess the same goes for Katherine.

Elijah: Oh, Katherine can take care of herself against the two of you.

Stefan: Oh you mean the three of us. 'Cause your little sister decided to join Team Good Guys for the time being.

[Elijah is clearly angry about this but remains calm.]

Elijah: Put her on the phone.

Stefan: Well, she's not here right now. I left her with Damon and Katherine.

Elijah: Tell me where they are.

Stefan: Relax. No one's gonna get hurt as long as Katherine hands over the cure.

Elijah: Do you understand how much my sister despises Katherine? I assure you, Rebekah will end her the moment she ceases to be of use.

Stefan: Well, just tell me where you are, and we can talk this through.

Elijah: You listen to me very carefully, Stefan. If anything whatsoever happens to Katherine, I will descend upon Elena.

[He hangs up. Elena is leaning against a wall.]

Elena: You're both idiots.

Elijah: Excuse me?

Elena: [sighing loudly] Ugh. What happened to you, Elijah? I mean, I thought you were supposed to be a man of honor, and yet you've been hooking up with Katherine this entire time?

Elijah: Well, I suppose this man of honour always shared a connection with Katherine. She contacted me when she learned about the cure. We thought we could be of mutual use to one another.

Elena: [laughing] "Of mutual use"? Please. You fell for her trap just like every other one of those idiots.

Elijah: You underestimate me, Elena. I know who she is. I know what she's done.

Elena: And you think she's changed? She's playing you. She lied to you, Elijah.

Elijah: She didn't lie to me about your transformation. [They look at each other for a moment.] You're not just a vampire, though, are you? [Elena shrugs] There's something else. You... you're not yourself. You've abandoned your emotions. Why?

Elena: My brother's dead. Your girlfriend killed him. [Elijah seems shocked] You didn't know? [scoffs] Of course you didn't.

Elijah: She lied.

Elena: I hate to say I told you so, but... duh!

KATHERINE'S HOUSE

[Damon, Rebekah and Katherine enter through the front door. Damon pushes Katherine inside.]

Damon: No sudden moves. No tricks either. No Katherine-ing.

[Katherine walks further into the house while Damon and Rebekah look around.]

Damon: Wow. A quilt and a fish aquarium. Who the hell are you?

Rebekah: A very old lady with dreadful taste.

[Katherine has been removing things from a bookshelf and opens a hidden safe. She moves her hands around inside it.]

Katherine: It's gone. The cure, it was in the safe, but it's not there.

Damon: [imitates a buzzer] Not falling for it. Where is it, Auntie Katherine?

Katherine: I swear it was in the safe.

Rebekah: What, just like Elijah's really your boyfriend and this is really your life? And for all we know, this isn't even your house.

Damon: Yeah, it doesn't look like the Katherine I know.

Katherine: Maybe you don't know Katherine at all. Did it ever occur to you that you have no idea who I really am?

Damon: Did it ever occur to you that you're not that deep? This whole small-town girl thing, we all know it's an act.

Rebekah: Where is the cure?

[Katherine looks at her with a hint of a smile and Rebekah vamp-speeds at her. Damon throws his arm out to stop her.]

Damon: Whoa, whoa. Hang on. We need her alive. The cure's not here. You check upstairs. I'll check down. I got this.

[Katherine is smiling. Rebekah walks away to go upstairs.]

Damon: So if I was a paranoid, distrustful sociopath, where would I keep my most prized possession?

Katherine: [chuckling] This should be fun.

Damon: [searching the room] Because I'd want it to be close, but not on me. Accessible but not obvious. I'd want to keep it safe, but not so safe that it'd be too difficult to grab and run. [stopping in front of the fish tank] Well, that is a fancy little treasure chest—in a tank with no fish. [Katherine says nothing] I think I'm gonna have to check that out.

[Damon sticks his hand into the water but is immediately burned.]

Damon: Aah! Gah! Vervain water. Looks like we have a winner.

[Damon picks up a large net to scoop out the chest. Before he can, Katherine vamp-speeds at him and shoves his head into the vervain water, holds him there for several seconds then throws him to the floor. Damon writhes in pain and Katherine gets the chest out. She runs to the door but Rebekah appears in front of her.]

Rebekah: Give it to me or you're dead.

Katherine: You're gonna kill me anyway. So what's more important to you, huh? Killing me or getting the cure?

[She holds up a small pill-shaped object and throws it into the air behind her. Rebekah runs to catch it, and Katherine dashes out the front door. Damon, his face healing, is still on the floor.]

Damon: [raspily] Look, Rebekah... Don't even think about it.

[Rebekah gets up, still in awe that she finally has the cure. Damon's voice still sounds very raspy.]

Damon: Let's just talk about this, like the two rational vampires that we are. Rebekah?

Rebekah: [staring at the object in her hand] Oh, give it a rest. Me taking this cure is the best thing that'll ever happen to you.

Damon: Don't do anything stupid.

Rebekah: Admit it. You don't want human-Elena running back to Stefan whilst you're left out in the cold again. Go on, Damon. Tell me why you want Elena to have the cure.

[Still on the floor, Damon says nothing.]

Rebekah: [smiling] That's what I thought.

[Rebekah pops open the pill when Stefan arrives at the open front door. She tosses it back into her mouth.]

Stefan: No!

[Rebekah gasps for a few seconds and falls down onto the sofa. Damon rests his head on the floor.]

KLAUS' MANSION

[Caroline is sitting on the sofa looking at her phone while Klaus, propped up on the back of another sofa, is still reaching round at the wound in his back Willow is desperatly trying to find the Stake in his back.]

Klaus: [moaning] I can feel the splinters moving towards my heart. Help me!

Caroline: Your word first.

Klaus: And what makes you think I won't simply break my word?

Caroline: [looking up from her phone] You wanna be friends? Friendship—Stage One. Show me that I can trust you.

Klaus: [angrily] I saved your life—twice.

Caroline: Because you put it in danger—twice. Why can't you just do something decent for once?

Klaus: Because Tyler Lockwood tried to kill me!

Caroline: We've all tried to kill you. [standing] And you've tried to kill most of us. How do you think that you deserve my friendship when you've done nothing to earn it?

Willow: Stop this both of you this is Not helping matters none

[Klaus stands and approaches Caroline quickly.]

Klaus: [shouting] I will not have my hand forced by you or anyone else!

Caroline: [raising her voice] What is wrong with you? I'm reaching out to you despite everything that you've done, and you still can't get out of your own way. God! I feel sorry for you.

[She turns away but Klaus vamp-speeds to block her way.]

Klaus: Don't turn your back on me!

Caroline: [shouting emotionally] I should have turned my back on you ages ago!

[They remain silent for a moment.]

Klaus: It's gone.

Willow: What?

Klaus: The pain. [He reaches round to his back.] The—the pain is gone. [realizing something] It was—it was never there. He got in my head. Silas... [gesturing at his temple] ...got inside my head. [He takes Caroline's hand.] You took my mind off it. You brought me back, Caroline.

[Caroline takes her hand back gently and turns around, bringing her hands to her head and walking a few steps. She turns back to Klaus.]

Caroline: If Silas can make you, of all people, believe that you're dying... what can he do to the rest of us?

KATHERINE'S HOUSE

[Rebekah is still unconscious on the sofa. Stefan is looking at the fish tank and talking to Damon, who has finally gotten up.]

Stefan: Did you even try to stop her?

Damon: You forgot the part where I was bobbing for boxes in vervain water.

Stefan: All you had to do was stall her, Damon.

Damon: Sorry. It's Rebekah. I didn't have a pony to distract her, Stefan.

Stefan: You let her take it, didn't you? You were never on my side. Now Elena will be a vampire for the rest of her life just like you wanted.

[Rebekah gasps suddenly and wakes up.]

IN AN ALLEYWAY

[Elena is sitting on the step in front of a doorway while Elijah paces slowly.]

Elijah: I know what it feels like to lose a brother. And I'm sorry for your pain. I... I only hope that you can find your way back to yourself someday.

[Smiling ruefully, Elena stands up.]

Elena: Just like you hope Katherine will find _her_ way back? You still think that innocent girl you saved from Klaus ages ago is in there somewhere?

Elijah: I'd like to think so, yes.

Elena: She's not. She's a monster now, Elijah. The sweet peasant girl you fell in love with way back when is dead. And she's not coming back.

Elijah: I'm not a fool, Elena. Of course this has occurred to me, but what kind of man would I be if I didn't try to find my Katerina beneath this... Katherine façade?

Elena: You boys are all the same. Damon and Stefan still think that the girl they love is still in here somewhere, too.

Elijah: You can't blame them for having hope, Elena. It'd be a shame if the world lost a soul as compassionate as yours.

Elena: "Your compassion is a gift, Elena. Carry it with you always and forever." I remember reading that in a letter once.

Elijah: Well, the writer sounds positively gifted. I'm sure he meant what he wrote.

Elena: I'm sure he did. And it felt good to watch that letter burn, along with my old life and along with Jeremy's body.

[Suddenly someone attacks Elena from behind, snapping her neck. Elena falls to the ground and Katherine appears.]

Katherine: Sorry. I got held up.

KATHERINE'S HOUSE

[Rebekah has sat up on the sofa and looks refreshed, her mouth open in wonder. Damon is standing near a bookshelf and Stefan sits down on the coffee table opposite her.]

Stefan: How do you feel?

Rebekah: [smiling] I- I feel good. I... I feel great. I feel alive.

Damon: Slight problem with being alive—I can kill you know.

[Damon throws a letter opener at Rebekah and she catches it with vampire speed. She and Stefan watch as the gash on her hand heals before their eyes. Rebekah gasps in horror while Stefan sighs with relief.]

Rebekah: I'm still a vampire. The cure didn't work.

Stefan: It worked just like she wanted it to. The cure was a fake. It must've been a concentrated shot of vervain or something.

[Rebekah is still in shock, her mouth hanging open.]

Damon: [with slight admiration] Katherine.

IN AN ALLEYWAY

[Katherine and Elijah are talking in the alleyway.]

Katherine: Oh, come on. She could use a nap. It must be exhausting trying to be me.

[Elijah is crouched over Elena's lifeless form.]

Elijah: You killed Jeremy Gilbert.

Katherine: [exhaling in resignation] Yes, Elijah, I killed Jeremy Gilbert, a bombshell I'm sure she just couldn't wait to drop on you. Ironic, since she supposedly doesn't care about anything.

Elijah: Well, I care. [standing] Do you honestly feel nothing for this girl, a girl fated to live the same life that you've endured? And now you've just taken away the last of her family, just as yours was taken away from you.

Katherine: [smiling defensively] Uh, why are you looking at me like I enjoyed it? [Elijah starts walking away and Katherine follows him.] Jeremy was collateral damage. I was doing what I needed to do to survive.

Elijah: Is that what I am to you? A means of survival?

Katherine: Don't let sweet little Elena get to you. She hates me. She wants you to turn against me and convince you that I can't be trusted.

Elijah: I asked you a question.

Katherine: No. Of course you're not a means of survival. You looked out for me when I had no one. You're giving me a second chance now when no one else will. I love you. [She places a hand on his cheek.] Elijah. [He pulls his face away from her hand.] You don't believe me.

Elijah: I want to. It's my disease. I just keep wanting to believe you, but how can I when at every turn, you give me a reason to doubt you? I don't know you. [He chuckles softly.] I don't know that I ever will.

[Elijah turns and walks away. Katherine goes after him.]

Katherine: [grabbing his arm] Wait. You gave me your word that you would talk to Klaus. I-I can't make a deal without you.

[Elijah looks at her for a moment.]

Elijah: Good-bye, Katherine.

[Katherine watches him walk away.]

THE FRONT PORCH OF A HOUSE

[It's nighttime. Katherine approaches the front door of a house and knocks. The girl that Elena and Rebekah talked to earlier in the day opens the door.]

Girl: Katherine, hey. What brings you by at this hour?

Katherine: I came to retrieve my package.

Girl: Oh, of course. Like I said, your secret would be safe here.

[The girl walks into the house and returns shortly with a small box, handing it to Katherine. Katherine opens it and looks inside; it contains a small pill-shaped object, inside of which is some reddish liquid.]

Girl: Hey, um... all the secrecy. Can I ask, what is it?

Katherine: It's my freedom.

[She closes the box.]

ON A STREET

[Elijah is walking down a sidewak when Katherine approaches him. He starts to pass her.]

Katherine: Wait.

Elijah: [stopping] What do you want?

Katherine: To tell you that you're right. I've spent so much time running and lying just to survive that I don't- I'm starting to believe my own lies. I don't even remember who I was when we first met. And I want to find out.

[She reaches into her purse and pulls out the small box.]

Elijah: You have the cure.

Katherine: Yeah. And I can shove this down Klaus' throat and try to kill him, but even if I manage to do it... I'd lose you. And I don't want that to happen.

Elijah: [emotional] How do I know this isn't another lie? Katherine Pierce deceiving yet another man.

[Katherine takes his hand and puts the box into it, holding hers over it.]

Katherine: Because I meant what I said about my feelings for you. And I'd like to think that you feel something for me, too. I need you to trust me. I _want_ you to trust me... Just like I'm trusting you. You don't owe me anything. I'm gonna let you decide where we go from here.

[Katherine passes him and walks away. Elijah opens the box, looks at the cure, then closes the box and crosses the street. On the other side, Rebekah hops down from her perch on a parked car.]

Rebekah: You and Katherine? And I thought you were the smart brother.

Elijah: You don't have a smart brother. It turns out I'm just as stupid as the rest of you.

Rebekah: Why don't you just give me the cure so I can judge you silently elsewhere?

Elijah: And what could you possibly want with the cure?

Rebekah: I want to be human again.

Elijah: How do you know that being human is the answer you're looking for? I mean, it's nothing but a romantic notion. The grass won't necessarily be greener, Rebekah.

Rebekah: You're probably right. But I don't care. I want to live a simple life as a normal person. And when it ends, it ends. We've had 20 lifetimes together, Elijah. Isn't that enough?

Elijah: I just don't understand. I mean, why must you always consider our family a burden? Always and forever. I mean, those words are as important to me today as they—as they ever were.

Rebekah: You will always be my brother. And I will never stop loving you. But now it's time for me to live and die the way that I choose, not the way you and Nik want me to. Please. Please just give me the cure.

[Rebekah's phone starts ringing. She digs it out of her bag and answers it.]

Rebekah: What do you want, Nik?

[The shots alternate between Rebekah and Elijah on the street and Klaus at the mansion.]

Klaus: An update on our search for the elusive cure.

Rebekah: Let's just say that things have gotten complicated. In fact, why don't you speak to one of those complications? Here.

[She hands the phone to Elijah and walks around to the other side of the car. She and Elijah get into the car.]

Elijah: Complication speaking.

Klaus: [smiling] Big brother. At last you join the fray.

Elijah: Somebody had to take charge. And now that I have, I've got the cure and I'm bringing it back to Mystic Falls.

Klaus: With a long list of demands, I assume.

Elijah: Not that long.

Klaus: Come home, brother. We'll settle this like family.

[Klaus hangs up. Caroline enters the room, wiping her hands on a towel.]

Caroline: I used all your bleach.

[She starts to walk past Klaus but he reaches out and grabs her arm. She turns to him.]

Klaus: Hey. Thank you for helping me.

Caroline: Yeah. [She pauses awkwardly.] Well, if you need anything else... _don't_ call me. I have a prom to plan.

[She turns and walks away.]

Klaus: [smiling] Friends, then?

[Caroline pauses, then turns back round.]

Caroline: Are you gonna let Tyler come back into town?

[Klaus' face falls and he doesn't say anything. Caroline shakes her head slightly, then turns away.]

Klaus: You might have noticed... [Caroline faces him again] I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him, am I?

[Caroline smiles, then finally leaves the room. Klaus smiles as is just standing grabbing some of her stuff she Left]

Klaus: Going Home Love you can stay another Night( Pulling her in his arms but frowns as she stebs back)

Willow: I would love to but even though what we shared you still Like Caroline more then Me I see the way you Look at her even though I care about you more Its still your decision on who you Love more I am sorry Klaus Please Understand that I just don't want to get Hurt.

Klaus:( Hugging her to him as he Kisses her On the Mouth Hungerly) Is the someone who Cares more for Caroline then You Now Yes maybe I need to work on some things like what we feel for each other but Now that Caroline and I are just friends Nothing more because she has Tyler.

Willow:( Nods) I understand Klaus so I will just be going Home just No that there isn't any Hurry just take the Time you need to Get the Cure and dealing with Silas Call me when ever you need to talk.

Klaus: Okay just make sure you Protect yourself there is No telling what Silas is Up to know so I will Call you later to make sure that you made it Home.

(Willow Nods and Smiles at him then Leaves the Room)

ON A STREET

[Damon and Stefan are walking down a sidewalk.]

Damon: All right, you're right. I let Rebekah take the cure. [He stops and turns to face Stefan.] I thought for a second—I mean, literally just a second—If Rebekah takes this, then all my problems go away. And I couldn't think of one good reason to give it to Elena. And then Rebekah took it. And I realized how badly I screwed up.

Stefan: So what's your point, Damon?

Damon: My point is, I'm sorry, okay? I had a moment of weakness, Stefan. It's my thing. It's like you and I falling for the same girl. It's _our_ thing.

Stefan: _Was_ our thing. Look, we've been making the same mistakes for 150 years. We can judge Katherine all we want, but we keep repeating our own history just like she is. Nothing ever changes. It has to stop, Damon.

Damon: What are you talking about?

Stefan: I'm done. I can't keep reliving my life like this. I owe Elena her shot at being normal again. Once we give her the cure, I'm getting her out of my life, and I'm getting a life of my own.

Damon: [nodding] Okay. Okay, let's just get the cure, and then we'll talk about you riding off into the sunset all by your lonesome.

Stefan: You still want to get the cure, even if it means you might lose her?

Damon: It's a chance I'm willing to take, Stefan.

Stefan: Well, I guess all we have to do is, ah, convince her.

[He walks past Damon. They enter the diner, where Elena is sitting at a table by herself. Jolene, the waitress from earlier, sees them walk in.]

Jolene: Sit anywhere you'd like.

[Damon and Stefan slide into the booth and sit next to Elena.]

Stefan: You all right?

[Elena looks at them but says nothing.]

Damon: What's up with the silent treatment? You're the one that texted us and wanted to meet up.

Elena: You know I don't want the cure. You need to know that I never will and I'm done talking about it. So... will you accept that and let me be who I am, or not?

[Damon and Stefan exchange looks.]

Damon: Yeah... no.

Stefan: Elena, this isn't you.

Elena: It is now. And you two really need to accept it. Because if you don't, there will be consequences.

[Elena takes a sip from her mug and the brothers look at each other again.]

Stefan: Listen, I was in the exact same situation that you're in right now. My emotions were off. I wasn't me. And you refused to accept that. You didn't give up on me. You didn't stop until you pulled me back.

[Elena sets down her mug. Jolene comes back.]

Jolene: Let me just top that off for you.

Elena: [smiling] Thanks.

[Elena vamp-speeds up and snaps Jolene's neck. Her body falls to the floor as the pitcher of coffee shatters.]

Damon: Oh!

Elena: Like I said, consequences. That's one body you're responsible for. If you keep trying to fix me, there'll be a second, a twentieth, and a hundredth. It's your choice.

[She walks away and leaves the diner as Damon and Stefan look at the body.]

Damon: Still ready to ride off into the sunset?

[END CREDITS]


	19. Pictures Of You

**Pictures Of You**

THE CEMETERY

[Bonnie walks alone through a cemetery, carrying a bouquet of flowers. She comes to a stop in front of Jeremy's headstone, which reads: "JEREMY GILBERT - BROTHER AND FRIEND".]

Bonnie: Hey, Jeremy.

[She is crying silently while she kneels and places the flowers on his grave.]

Bonnie: You know, I was- I was thinking about the last thing I said to you. "We did it." Totally lame last thing to say to someone. That wasn't a goodbye, Jeremy. You- you were supposed to come back with us.

Jeremy: Bonnie.

[She hears Jeremy's voice behind her, and smiles with excited hope.]

Bonnie: Jeremy?

[She turns to see him standing behind her.]

Jeremy: Wake up.

Bonnie: How are you here?

Jeremy: [urgently] Bonnie, wake up.

Bonnie: I don't understand.

Jeremy: Open your eyes. Bonnie, open your eyes!

[Jeremy grabs her by the arms while imploring her to wake up. Suddenly, Bonnie is lying on a couch at home and her eyes open. The blanket covering her is on fire.]

Bonnie: Oh, my god.

[She waves her arm over the flames and the fire disappears. Mouth hanging open, Bonnie looks horrified.]

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

[Damon and Stefan are playing catch with a football across their living room.]

Damon: So how long's it been? Eight, nine days?

Stefan: Yeah, eight or nine days. I don't know, I lost count.

Damon: If we lost count of the consecutive days in which Elena Gilbert has not killed anyone, I'd say that's progress, brother.

Stefan: So what are we gonna do, just, ah, throw the football around for another 150 years till Elena gets her humanity back? Because I'm cool with that.

Damon: She doesn't want the cure. She's gonna start killing people if she knows we're still trying to get it for her.

Stefan: All right. We could always, ah, make her want it.

Damon: Yeah, how're you gonna make an emotionless vampire want anything?

Stefan: Get her to flip her humanity switch.

Damon: So what are we gonna do? Pull a Lexi and bombard her with emotions till one of them sticks?

Stefan: Yeah, and if that doesn't work, then we go to Plan "B": lock her up, keep her sidelined until you and I figure out a Plan "C".

Damon: And what happens when she gets slammed with every emotion she's repressed since Jeremy died?

Stefan: Well, then you, my friend, will be right by her side, ready to help her through it.

Damon: Right. 'Cause you don't wanna keep reliving history, and when this is all over you're just gonna get out of her life.

[Stefan looks down for a moment, then smiles unconvincingly.]

Stefan: Bingo.

Damon: All right. How do you wanna do this?

KLAUS' MANSION

[Rebekah, Elijah, and Klaus are sitting at a table together.]

Rebekah: Elijah, being a human means a fresh start. I can grow old and have a family and fill my days with meaning, knowing that each one matters.

[Klaus laughs.]

Klaus: Well, that was poetic.

Elijah: Well, if you can provide us with a more compelling reason for wanting the cure, Klaus, please.

Klaus: Silas can appear as anyone. He got inside my thoughts, convinced me I was dying. He will torment me until I give him the cure.

Rebekah: And in doing so he will break down the wall to the Other Side.

Klaus: So it doesn't trap him there when he dies. He wants to reunite with his lost soulmate. [to Elijah] You of all lovesick fools should applaud his devotion.

Rebekah: He will open the floodgates for every supernatural being that has ever died.

Klaus: Including our dear brothers, Kol and Finn. We'll have our family back.

Rebekah: Please, you hated Kol and you kept Finn in a box for most of his life.

Klaus: Elijah, please.

Elijah: Your personal discomfort might not be sufficient reason for putting the entire world in jeopardy, Klaus. I think our sister deserves a shot at happiness.

Klaus: Tell me you're joking. Tell me you're not fating me to an eternity of torture.

Elijah: I made my decision.

[Klaus swiftly stands and leans down to speak into Rebekah's ear.]

Klaus: When you're sick and dying, and you beg for my blood, I will laugh in your face and compel you to forget me.

[Klaus leaves the room. Rebekah remains carefully composed as she touches her hair and clears her throat.]

Rebekah: [to Elijah] Where is the cure?

Elijah: Rebekah, it's no secret that you are impulsive, emotional, and at times morally questionable. Prove to me this isn't just another one of your whims, that you know precisely what you are giving up here.

Rebekah: Fine. Anything.

Elijah: I want you to live a day as a human. This day. No vampire privileges- no strength, no compulsion, no nothing. If you succeed, if you still believe this is what you want, the cure is yours.

[Rebekah is surprised, but releases the tension in her body with resignation and accepts the challenge.]

A STREET IN MYSTIC FALLS

[Elena and Rebekah are walking down a streettogether.]

Elena: You're gonna fail. You should be locking yourself inside all day, not shopping for prom.

Rebekah: Name me a more human experience than the prom.

Elena: Death.

Rebekah: Why should I listen to you? You don't even have your humanity.

Elena: You realize you won't even be able to compel yourself a date, right?

Rebekah: Yes, and last time I checked you're living in my house 'cause I'm the only one that can tolerate you, so you don't have to be so rude.

Elena: Then I want to come with you. Yeah, I'll keep an eye on you to make sure that you pass Elijah's test. As soon as you've gotten the cure, it'll be gone for good and no one will be able to use it on me.

[Elena continues walking and Rebekah follows her.]

INSIDE A DRESS SHOP

[Caroline is trying on a dress accompanied by Bonnie and Willow They come out of a fitting room together.]

Willow: What kind of dreams?

Bonnie: Usually I'm at his grave and all of a sudden, he appears to me.

[Caroline talks while inspecting herself in a three-way mirror.]

Caroline: Well, you never got to say goodbye, Bon. You're grieving, that's normal.

Bonnie: When I woke up, the couch was on fire.

Caroline: Oh.

[She turns to face Bonnie.]

Bonnie: I don't know if it's because I was emotional in my dream, or if Shane was right. Without his help, I'll lose control of my magic.

Caroline: No, it's because you need a night off from mourning. And I'm gonna make sure that you have it.

[They smile at each other.]

Willow: Um, you look super hot, by the way.

Caroline: You think?

Bonnie: Oh yeah.

Caroline: [smiling] Yeah.

Bonnie: Matt and I are gonna have the sexiest date there.

[They giggle with each other.]

Caroline: You know what, I love friend-prom. And it's exactly what prom should be- friends and memories.

Bonnie: Yep.

Caroline: Yes, it sucks that my boyfriend can't be here, but the four of us are gonna have the night of our lives.

[The door jingles as someone enters the shop. Caroline looks up and her smile falters. Elena and Rebekah enter the store.]

Elena: Hey, Bonnie. Heard you got your mind wiped- that sucks. Pretty dress, Caroline.

Caroline: I know. You helped me pick it out months ago when we were friends- before you tried to kill me.

Elena: I thought it looked familiar.

Caroline: [to the store clerk] Can you press this for me? I'll pick it up later. Bonnie?

[They go back to the fitting room while Elena watches them with a sly look on her face.]

(Willow finding a beautiful White Gown with Blue and Silver Diamonds on the Botice she goes inside the dressing Room to Try it On Turning a certain way she walks out as Elena was still standing with Rebekah)

Elena:( Seeing the Young Mage in her Dress and Loving it) Hey Willow your Dress looks Hot.

Willow: Thanks Elena How about you what dress did you Pick.

Elena: Oh its at Home so you will have to see at the Prom( Kinda Jealous of her Looks but shrugs)

Rebekah: Ah Willow you are forever Impressing me Such a Lady in that Dress.

Willow: Thank you Rebekah( Smiling as she Picks another Dress its a Red Velvet Color with a Black Bow that is in the front of the Botice the thin strips on the Shoulders and the dress is Flowing down to her Feet Like a Swan dress) Wow this one is even Beautiful if you want you can take the White dress Rebekah and I'll take the Red Velvet.

Rebekah: Interesting but I think I'll find something that is just as better thanks any way.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

[Elena descends the steps of Rebekah's front porch, wearing Caroline's dress, while a limo drives up. She stops in her tracks when Stefan gets out with a bouquet of flowers.]

Elena: I don't need a babysitter.

Stefan: Really? Because the last time I saw you, you snapped a waitress' spine.

Elena: Got you to stop your search for the cure, didn't it?

[She starts walking away but Damon vamp-speeds over to block her.]

Damon: Yep. We're just here to make sure you hold up your end of the deal. Don't eat the prom queen.

[He points at her reprovingly, then offers up a wrist corsage.]

Damon: May I?

Elena: No.

[Damon looks at Stefan, who gives him the OK. Damon grabs Elena's wrist and shoves the corsage onto it.]

Damon: Wow, would you look at that. Aw. Beautiful dress.

Elena: Thank you. I stole it.

[Elena gets into the limo, leaving the brothers to process this statement.]

KLAUS' MANSION

[Klaus is standing and staring at the fireplace when Caroline's voice calls to him. He doesn't respond.]

Caroline: Klaus? Klaus? Kl-

[She finally enters the room and sees him.]

Caroline: Hello? Did you not hear me?

Klaus: Of course I heard you, Caroline. I think the whole of Mystic Falls heard you. I'm in no mood for company.

Caroline: Well, I'm sorry that you're having personal issues, but I have a real crisis on my hands. Elena stole my prom dress!

[Klaus finally turns and faces her.]

Caroline: I went to pick it up and the tailor said that somebody else already did. And when I asked who, she said she couldn't remember. [She gives Klaus a significant look but he doesn't respond.] Hello? The vervain is out of the town water supply. She was compelled!

[Klaus starts laughing.]

Caroline: It is _not_ funny.

Klaus: No, I know, I know.

Caroline: Then _stop_ laughing! Look, I know that prom isn't important to you, but it's important to me.

Klaus: Well, surely finding another dress is well within your substantial vampire capabilities?

Caroline: [frustrated and turning on the spot] Oh, but I don't _want_ just another dress. [facing Klaus again] I wanna look _hot._ Like Princess-Grace-of-Monaco-hot. So... could you _please_ go back into your creepy trophy case of family collectibles and dig me out something of royal caliber?

[Caroline smiles at him winningly, and Klaus smiles back, clearly still amused.]

THE PROM

[Elena walks the red carpet leading to the prom with a Salvatore on each arm. The path is lined with screens playing slideshows of photographs.]

Damon: Where's the disco ball?

Stefan: Caroline's been working on this for a while. It's a, ah, photo-yearbook of the senior class.

[They stop in front of one of the screens.]

Stefan: Isn't that photo from, ah, the first day of freshman year?

[Elena stops and stares at it - it's a picture of her and Matt smiling.]

Elena: My mom took that when she dropped us off at school.

[Damon nods at Stefan behind Elena's back while she continues to stare at the photo. Slowly it fades into a different picture - Elena and Jeremy, smiling. Elena starts removing her jacket.]

Elena: I'm gonna get a seizure if I keep staring at these screens.

[She walks off quickly. Inside, everyone is dancing. Matt and Bonnie are walking through the crowd together.]

Matt: Why do I feel like we're at a practice run of Caroline's wedding?

Bonnie: Because I think we are.

[They laugh together. Elsewhere, Elena goes to take a sip from a flask but Damon swoops in, snatches it from her and proceeds to take a sip.]

Damon: You are underage.

Elena: You're overage, and honestly, it's kind of creepy.

Damon: Oh, come on. What badass senior's complete without a prom date that's slightly too old for high school?

[Elena takes the flask back for a sip.]

Elena: Please don't refer to yourself as my date.

Damon: Oh, I'm sorry. Your... boyfriend. [Elena gives him a look] Something I said?

Elena: [laughing] I'm not doing this.

Damon: You're not gonna deny that I'm your boyfriend, now, are you?

Elena: What are you doing? Trying to stir some feelings in me? Ironic, since you, my sire, are the one who had me turn them off.

Damon: Yeah, well, hindsight is almost a bigger bitch than you.

Elena: You're nothing to me, Damon.

Damon: Really? Then why tell me you're in love with me? Why tell me it's the most real thing you've ever felt in your life?

Elena: I told you I loved you because I was sired to you, and now that I'm not I know that none of it was real. But if you still think that it was, I mean, maybe you're the one who needs help with your emotions, not me.

[Elena leaves Damon looking troubled and runs into Matt and Bonnie.]

Elena: Uh-oh. Friend patrol.

Bonnie: Hey. I know we haven't really talked since... everything. But I just- I wanna say that I miss you.

Matt: Me too. And we wanna help you.

Elena: What are you gonna do, get me a job at the Grill?

Matt: I don't want you to look back and realize you missed out on the best part of senior year.

Elena: Spare me, Matt. If you had the choice, you would have turned your emotions off the second that Vicki died.

Bonnie: Hey. You shut it off because all you could feel were the horrible things happening to you. You still have friends who love you.

Elena: I thought you were gonna bring Jeremy back, but it turned out you were just a brainwashed crazy-person, so technically you're a walking reminder of all the horrible things that have happened to me.( She turns to Walk away when she Runs into Willow who looks Pissed at her) What is wrong with you.

Willow: One thing you will say your sorry to Bonnie for Blaming her on the death of Jeremy or so Help me you will regret it.

Elena: You heard what I said to Bonnie all I did was tell the truth she was the reason why we were on the Island.

Willow: No you were Elena( Watching as Elena smile falls clearly seeing that her Plan is not working when it comes to Willow) If it wasn't for you, Stefan and Damon Jeremy would of Never been on that Island all because you ignore me when I told you looking for the Cure would end Badly so if anyone is Guilty of Jeremy and Everyone else dying it should be you How dare you Blame Bonnie she has helped you through everything and this is How you treat her.

Elena:( Stunned at Willow for what she said but her emotions where off so there is Nothing she wasn't feeling) My Humantiy is shut off there is Nothing you can do to make me feel its Pathetic how you Pretend that you are all powerful when I can kill you with just one Hit.

Willow:( Narrowing her Eyes at Elena using her Empathy Powers to Feel for emotions seeing them very close but Elena is forcing them down) You keep telling yourself that you don't feel because you forget I am a Mage and alot stronger then you Your the one who is Pathetic always afraid to face your Problems always running so go ahead and try Killing me you won't get far You will be dead before you can blink an Eye( Walking away from her before she does something that she will regret)

[ Bonnie looks tense, struggling to contain herself.]

Bonnie: I need some air.

[She starts to leave.]

Matt: Bonnie, wait.

Bonnie: [shaking her head] Caroline's right. Elena's gone.

[Bonnie leaves and walks outside onto the red carpet. She stops just as a picture of her and Jeremy dancing at the '60s Decade Dance shows up on one of the screens. Suddenly Jeremy appears next to the screen in real life, wearing a tuxedo. Bonnie smiles, her eyes glistening.]

Bonnie: Is this real?

Jeremy: Does it matter? [Bonnie laughs and smiles at him] May I have this dance?

[Bonnie walks over to him and takes his hand. Inside, Elena is laughing with some girl when Stefan pulls her over to dance with him.]

Elena: Let go of me or I _will_ bite you.

Stefan: Oh come on. I'm the one that hates to dance, remember?

Elena: Yeah, and now I finally see why.

Stefan: Hm.

[Across the room, Rebekah and Matt are talking at the punchbowl.]

Rebekah: So, are you and Bonnie, like, a thing?

Matt: We're not a thing, we're friends. So who are you here with?

Rebekah: No one. Go on, I know what you're thinking- why didn't I just compel myself a date.

Matt: You know, actually, I was thinking, 'I wonder if Bonnie wants ice'.

Rebekah: Oh. Can I ask you a question?

Matt: Why? Apparently, you already seem to know everything I'm thinking, so...

Rebekah: Do you think that I would make a good human?

Matt: I think that 'good' is a hard word to live up to, and I've never seen you do anything remotely good, so... Honestly, no, I don't. I'm sorry.

[Matt leaves Rebekah, who looks hurt by this response. Elena and Stefan are still dancing.]

Stefan: So, you're just here to help Rebekah get the cure, right? On what happens to be the most sentimental night in high school?

Elena: You think this is my cry for help? I'd be happy to show you what a _real_ cry for help sounds like.

Stefan: So this... us. You feel nothing?

Elena: I feel nothing.

Stefan: I don't believe you.

Elena: I don't care.

Stefan: So you don't remember what it used to feel like when we would dance? When my hand would touch your waist?

[Stefan rests his hand on her waist. Elena's expression doesn't change.]

Elena: Nope.

Stefan: Hm. How about this? When our fingers would touch?

[He entwines his fingers into hers. Elena's face is blank.]

Elena: Nothing.

Stefan: And this?

[Stefan dips her down and holds her there a moment.]

Stefan: Does your heart really refuse to remember?

[He pulls her back up. Elena leans in closer to his face and breathes her words onto his mouth.]

Elena: What heart?

[She lets the words stand there for a moment before pulling away and leaving. Across the room, Damon watches and looks none too happy.]

[Caroline finally arrives at the dance, smiling to see her classmates enjoying themselves. Elena approaches her.]

Elena: So how do I look?

Caroline: Are you kidding me? You look like a back-stabbing bi-

[She stops when she sees Stefan approaching behind Elena. Caroline continues with less fervor.]

Caroline: The dress is beautiful, and it brings out your eyes.

Elena: Thanks. I thought I'd do it a favor.

[Caroline starts to retort but Stefan intercedes.]

Stefan: Caroline, why don't you come dance with me, hm?

[Caroline takes his hand and they move to the dance floor, leaving Elena looking rather smug.]

Caroline: I know you said to kill her with kindness, but can't I just kill her?

Stefan: [smiling] I see you found a dress?

Caroline: It's from Klaus.

Stefan: Mm?

Caroline: Don't ask.

Stefan: You know you have him wrapped around your little finger, right?

Caroline: If I had Klaus wrapped around my finger, then I would be here with Tyler right now. Are you making any progress with the dress thief?

Stefan: I don't know. I think it's affecting _me_ a lot more than it's affecting _her_.

Caroline: What do you mean?

Stefan: Every time I tell myself that I'm moving on, there's this part of me that just can't seem to shake her.

Caroline: That's normal, Stefan. You guys were in love, and that doesn't go away just because you declare that you're moving on.

Stefan: Well, then how does anyone ever seem to move on?

Caroline: I don't know. I think that someday, you'll meet someone new and you'll fall madly in love, and you'll have moved on without even realizing it.

[Rebekah is talking to April at the voting table for prom court.]

April: I can't just make you prom queen. It _is_ based on votes, and you have approximately none so far.

Rebekah: And you can't just help out a friend?

April: No, I can't. And you can't make me. I drink vervain tea now.

Rebekah: I was not going to compel you.

[Elena vamp-speeds over to them and pins April against the wall by the neck.]

Elena: You can't be compelled, but you _can_ be killed. Rebekah wins prom queen. Got it?

Rebekah: What the bloody hell are you doing?

[Elena releases April, who hurries away.]

Elena: What you were about to do.

Rebekah: I was not going to threaten her.

Elena: Remember that time you tortured me until I told you how to find the cure? You ruined my relationship with Stefan and then you trapped us with a werewolf?

Rebekah: Yeah. So?

Elena: So you're not a good person. You're not gonna win this cure by being yourself. So just stand there and refrain from talking, okay?

THE PROM - OUTSIDE

[Bonnie and Jeremy are dancing.]

Bonnie: You and me. My senior prom.

[She smiles and laughs a little.]

Jeremy: Do you miss me, Bonnie?

Bonnie: Of course I do.

Jeremy: Do you want this to be real?

Bonnie: Yes.

Jeremy: Then it _can_ be. Bonnie... your magic can bring me back for good. You have the power to do the spell now.

[Bonnie's face falls, then she realizes what's going on. She pushes away from him.]

Bonnie: Oh, my god. You're Silas. Get away from me.

[She starts to run away but Jeremy/Silas grabs her wrist and pulls her back.]

Jeremy/Silas: You need me, Bonnie.

Bonnie: I don't need you. I don't want anything to do with you.

Jeremy/Silas: You have no idea how dangerous you are. If I don't help you, you'll kill yourself.

Bonnie: You're trying to get in my head.

Jeremy/Silas: I'm just asking for your help in return for mine.

Bonnie: Leave me alone.

[She turns and starts walking away.]

Jeremy/Silas: Wake up on fire recently?

[Bonnie stops and turns back to him.]

Bonnie: Did you do that to me?

Jeremy/Silas: Please, Bonnie, let me help you before you hurt somebody or yourself.

Bonnie: You don't care about me. You only care about bringing down the wall to the Other Side, and I won't do it.

Jeremy/Silas: Don't you want to see Jeremy again?

Bonnie: Not like this.

[She leaves.]

KLAUS' MANSION

[Elijah and Klaus are talking; Elijah has the white oak stake.]

Klaus: Where did you get that?

Elijah: Our baby sister. Once she's human... it'll make no difference to her whatsoever. Take it.

[Klaus takes it with relish but is immediately suspicious.]

Klaus: Why would you give me this?

Elijah: We are immortal apart from the stake. Now that it's yours, you have nothing to fear.

Klaus: Silas will continue to torment me.

Elijah: Well, you've survived endless torments throughout the centuries. You'll shake this. And if you can't, you outrun him.

[Klaus laughs.]

Klaus: Yes, it's that simple. Without the cure, what makes you think I'll spare your beloved Katerina? Or have you figured out you're simply another fly in her web?

Elijah: You will spare her because I am asking you to spare her. As your family, as your only living brother, I would ask that you provide me with this opportunity to feel, to care. To love.

[Klaus closes the distance between them, whispering.]

Klaus: I gave you that opportunity. And you sided against me. So if I run, it'll be to chase her. And as _your_ only living brother, I will make it my cause that you never know a moment of happiness.

[Klaus used the stake to punctuate his words by tapping it on Elijah's chest. Elijah calmly pushes the stake away from himself, looking at Klaus with pity.]

Elijah: It is such a hollow little life that you lead, Niklaus.

[Elijah briefly puts a hand to Klaus' face, then leaves. Klaus is clearly emotionally affected by what Elijah said.]

THE PROM

[Rebekah sits alone, looking mopey, when Matt approaches her.]

Matt: You haven't seen Bonnie, have you?

Rebekah: She's probably in the bathroom. Every other girl is. And if you haven't noticed, I am sitting here all on my own. So, please, will you put me out of my misery and dance with me?

Matt: I don't think so.

[He starts to walk away and Rebekah stands up.]

Rebekah: Matt, please. This is a girl's worst nightmare. Please.

[Matt finally takes her hand and escorts her onto the dance floor. They talk while they dance.]

Rebekah: I thought about what you said, about being good, and you're right. It won't be easy, but it's worth trying.

Matt: I don't understand why my opinion is so important to you.

Rebekah: Because you're everything that I want to be. You're loyal, honest, kind. People root for you to succeed. Elena even died for you.

Matt: I'm a bus boy, Rebekah, okay? It's not like I'm out saving the world.

Rebekah: But you're human. You're so beautifully human.

[Elsewhere, Damon comes to stand next to Caroline Willow is standing on the other side of her.]

Caroline: Aren't you on "Save Elena" duty?

Damon: I'm taking a little breather.

[Caroline nods, takes a deep breath and exhales.]

Caroline: This prom sucks. This is our last dance together, and it's awful. This is _not_ how I wanted to remember this night.

[Damon offers her the flask. Caroline looks at it, Damon nods encouragingly, and Caroline takes it.]

Caroline: Thank you.

[She takes a sip and they both sigh one after the other. She hands it back to Damon.]

Caroline: If anyone asks, I'll be at the after-party.

[Damon raises the flask in salute and Caroline leaves. Bonnie approaches Damon.]

Bonnie: We have a problem.

[Cut to a gathering of Bonnie, Damon, Willow Matt, and Stefan.

Bonnie: It's like Jeremy was there. I could talk to him, feel him.

Willow: Bonnie, that's what Silas does. You can't let him get to you again.

Damon: Yeah, because you all crazy and brainwashed is just not a good look.

[Several yards away, Elena eavesdrops on the conversation while Rebekah does not use her vampire hearing.]

Rebekah: What am I missing?

Elena: Silas is appearing to Bonnie as my dead brother, which means he still wants her to do the spell.

Rebekah: So? The nice thing about having no feelings is you don't fear your enemies on the Other Side.

Elena: I'm not worried about my enemies. It's people like Alaric... and Jeremy. The Salvatore brothers are annoying enough as it is. Can you imagine if my brother came back to the living? He'd spend every waking hour trying to get my humanity back.

[Elena takes a sip from a glass while April begins to speak from a podium on the stage.]

April: Hey. Okay, the ballots have been tallied, which means it's time to announce this year's prom king and queen.

[Across the room, the four continue talking.]

Stefan: Look, one of us should take her home.

Damon: What? no. She's safer here in public around all these people. There's no way Silas can make everyone see the same thing all at once.

Willow: Okay, in the meantime, how do we look out for a guy that can appear as anyone?

April: All right, your prom king and queen are... Matt Donovan and Bonnie Bennett.

[The crowd cheers as a spotlight shines on Matt and Bonnie. Across the room, Rebekah and Elena talk while the prom king and queen get crowned on stage.]

Rebekah: Bonnie Bloody Bennett. Of course.

Elena: Everyone's so worried about Silas, but there's an obvious solution to all of this. He needs Bonnie. He can't do the spell without her. So if you can't kill Silas, kill his witch.

Rebekah: I can't kill anyone. I'm supposed to be human.

Elena: Maybe you can't, but I can.

LOCKWOOD MANSION

[Caroline enters the house carrying brown bags filled with groceries. She sets them down and turns around to see Tyler standing behind her, wearing a suit and holding a bouquet of flowers.]

Caroline: Tyler.

Tyler: I don't think you've ever looked more beautiful.

Caroline: Oh, my god. Tyler.

[She runs to him and hugs him, kisses him briefly.]

Caroline: Oh, you can't be here. Klaus-

Tyler: Can't get in. Matt owns this place now. He had to invite me inside.

Caroline: If Klaus finds out-

Tyler: He won't. You didn't really think I was gonna miss prom, did you? [They laugh and Tyler holds up the flowers.] Here. These are for you. Caroline Forbes, may I please have this dance?

[She nods happily.]

THE PROM - OUTSIDE

[Damon stands looking at a picture of Stefan and Elena dancing at the '60s Decade Dance, drinking from his flask. Stefan approaches him.]

Stefan: You looking for Silas or are you waxing nostalgic about misspent youth?

Damon: What happened to you being over it?

Stefan: What do you mean?

Damon: Well, I mean, for a guy who's ready to move on, you seemed pretty convincing as a boyfriend out on the dance floor.

Stefan: I mean, isn't that what we're doing, reminding Elena of what she's lost?

Damon: Like her feelings for you?

Stefan: Yeah. Yeah, maybe.

Damon: Hm.

Stefan: I mean... I don't mean to be a dick, Damon, but Elena and I have a history. Memories, laughs, ups and downs. It was a real relationship. I mean, what you have is just a one-night stand that was probably the result of the sire bond.

[Damon vamp-speeds to attack Stefan, but he stabs Damon in the belly.]

Stefan: Your mind is a very dark and riveting place, Damon.

[Damon falls to his knees in pain, his shirt bloodied with a stake protruding from it.]

Damon: Ugh! Silas. Where's my brother, you psychic freak?

Stefan/Silas: He's in the woods, where I convinced him I was you. He's probably in a bit of pain now, too. The witch is mine. Stay away from her.

[Silas leaves. Damon groans, trying to pull out the stake, and falls to the ground.]

THE PROM - INSIDE

[Matt and Bonnie have their picture taken with their crowns on while April supervises, smiling. Elena watches them, smiling sinisterly. Matt walks away and is intercepted by Rebekah.]

Rebekah: You need to get your queen off the stage.

Matt: I can't really do that right now.

Rebekah: You didn't hear it from me, but Elena's up to something.

[She walks away. Matt watches as Bonnie enters a tented area. Inside it, she removes her crown as Elena enters through a beaded curtain.]

Elena: Congratulations, Bonnie.

Bonnie: What do you want?

Elena: For you to stop being a problem.

[Elena vamps out and snarls, grabbing Bonnie's shoulder, but Bonnie uses magic to give Elena painful aneurysms in her brain. Elena moans in pain, holding her head. Outside the tent, a gust of wind sweeps through the prom, disturbing the attendees. There is loud, piercing microphone feedback and electrical sparks. Matt enters the tent With Willow to see Elena collapsing to the floor, still in pain.]

Matt: Bonnie!

Bonnie: Something's happening to me.

Matt: Okay, just relax.

Bonnie: No. I gotta get out of here.

[She leaves the tent. Elena stands up, her hair mussed up. She looks furious. April enters the tent.]

April: What's going on?

Elena: Remember when I told you to make Rebekah prom queen?

[Elena slams April's head onto the table and takes a bite out of her neck.]

Matt: No!

[Elena lets go of April and she falls into Matt's arms.]

Elena: You should have listened.(Feeling her own Head being Pulled back and then Slamed into the Table) What the Hell you will pay for that Willow( Trying to grab a hold on Willow's face but Willow Kicks her in the Stomach and then Throws her through the Wall and then she stands over Elena using her fingers to put Pressure Points on her throat making her Gasp with Pain) What are you doing to me.

Willow: I told you Elena what would happen if you went after Bonnie again you are the One who should have listen Now you will leave or so Help me I will break your Neck in Half (showing Elena her Mad Face as her Eyes turns Red)

Elena:( Furious but a little Scared she gets up) Fine have it your Way( Vampspeeds out of the there)

[ Matt shakes April, trying to wake her up.]

Matt: April, April, come on, please wake up! April, come on! Please wake up!

[Rebekah comes in]

Rebekah: Matt, why did you call- Oh, my god.

Matt: Can you feed her your blood?

Rebekah: Can't we just call 911 or something?

Matt: She's dying. Please help her!

Rebekah: I can't. If I heal her with my vampire blood, Elijah won't give me the cure and I won't get to be human.

Matt: How is this even a choice right now? You want to be human? Prove it, be good, do the right thing and save her life.

[Rebekah hesitates, reluctantly thinking it over.]

THE PROM - OUTSIDE

[Damon is walking through the woods outside the prom and hears someone groaning in pain.]

Damon: Stefan?

Stefan: Yeah. I'm over here. Agh!

[Stefan continues to groan in pain as he pulls a stake out of his belly. Damon crouches down beside him.]

Damon: Let me guess: an extremely handsome man came up to you claiming to be me.

Stefan: Yeah.

Damon: Yeah.

[Elsewhere outside, Silas sees Bonnie walking away.]

Jeremy/Silas: Bonnie, wait.

Bonnie: Get away from me, Silas.

Jeremy/Silas: We can help each other.

Bonnie: This is what you do. You wait until I lose control and then you want to swoop in and save me.

Jeremy/Silas: You really think you have a choice? If you don't let me help you, your Expression will consume you from the inside out.

Bonnie: Get away from me.

[Car alarms start going off in the nearby parking lot as their headlights flicker. Bonnie looks surprised and scared.]

Jeremy/Silas: You didn't try to do that, did you? Your magic is taking on a life of its own. You need help controlling it. Listen to me, Bonnie. Breathe.

Bonnie: I will die before I let you control me again.

[Bonnie's anger manifests further in a gust of wind that carries the leaves up around them.]

Jeremy/Silas: Bonnie, listen to me! Control, Bonnie! Control!

Bonnie: [screaming] Get out of my head!

[Suddenly everything - the car alarms, the winds - stops. Bonnie puts a hand to her head. Silas has disappeared. However, Bonnie doesn't have much time to recover before Elena swoops in and attacks her, biting into her neck. Bonnie yells in pain, but suddenly Elena stops and starts making choking noises. Elena starts vomiting blood while the wound on Bonnie's neck heals supernaturally fast. Elena continues to choke, Bonnie rises from the ground and uses Expression to break Elena's bones. Elena shouts in pain as Stefan Willow and Damon approach them.]

Stefan: Bonnie, stop. Bonnie.

[Damon crouches down by Elena, who continues to moan in pain.]

Elena: Damon, help me.

Willow: Bonnie, you're killing her.

Bonnie. I know what I'm doing.

Stefan: That's the magic talking. This is your best friend.

[Elena continues writhing in pain while Damon holds her.]

Damon: Damn it, Bonnie.

[Elena manages to look up at Bonnie, blood dripping from her nose.]

Elena: Bonnie... Please.

[Elena moans for a moment longer then stops. Bonnie has stopped the spell. Elena gasps in relief.]

Stefan: [to Bonnie] You okay?

Bonnie: No, I'm not okay. I almost died. The shell of my best friend almost killed me. None of this is okay!

[She leaves.]

Damon: [to Elena, whispering] I got you.

[He starts to help Elena up but she staggers weakly. Stefan steps in to catch her.]

Stefan: Okay. Hey, whoa.

[Before she has a chance to fully recover, Stefan jabs her with a syringe filled with vervain. Elena falls unconscious into Damon's arms.]

Stefan: Plan "B".

[Elsewhere, just outside the prom, Matt puts his jacket over April's shoulders then gets up and walks over to Rebekah, who looks sad.]

Matt: Thank you for saving her.

Rebekah: Elena was right. I should have just stayed home.

Matt: No one has to know what you did. I won't tell anyone.

Rebekah: You'd really do that for me?

Matt: I would. And maybe I was a little harsh earlier. You wouldn't make the worst human.

Rebekah: [smiling] Are you offering me a job as a bus boy? You know, I'd look cute in an apron.

Matt: [smiling back] We'll see. I should probably get April home.

Rebekah: Okay.

[Matt walks over to April.]

Matt: All right, let's stand up.

[They leave just as Klaus walks up behind Rebekah.]

Klaus: Dear sweet April Young. Now, there's a girl with a future.

Rebekah: She was dying, and I acted with human decency. You can't get more human than that.

Klaus: Actually, you can. You can stand idly by as poor April takes her final breath. You can ask, "Why does this always happen to innocent people? Where do the spirits go? Was there anything I could have done?" That is what it means to be human, sister. You give humanity too much credit.

Rebekah: You're gonna tell Elijah?

Klaus: No. No. You are.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

[Rebekah approaches Elijah.]

Elijah: You're home. And how did our Cinderella fare?

Rebekah: I won't lie. There were complications.

THE PROM

Klaus: You'll tell him that you cheated, that you failed, that you don't deserve the cure.

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

Rebekah: [smiling] But I passed your test with flying colors.

Elijah: If this is what you truly want... it's yours.

[He hands her the white box. She opens it - the cure is inside.]

THE PROM

Rebekah: Why is it so hard for you to let me be happy?

Klaus: Because your happiness comes at the expense of my sanity, because I refuse to entertain yet another one of your whims, because you are bored and you're looking for a reason to matter. Thankfully I don't have to waste any more breath fighting you on the subject.

[Klaus begins to leave.]

Rebekah: What does that mean? Nik, what does that mean?

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

Rebekah: I guess it's time that I turned into a pumpkin. Thank you, Elijah.

[She walks away. Elijah's phone starts to ring - it says it's Rebekah. Puzzled, he answers it.]

Elijah: Rebekah?

[The shots alternate between Elijah at Rebekah's house and Rebekah at the prom.]

Rebekah: Elijah, I think Nik's up to something.

Elijah: Where did you go?

Rebekah: I'm still at the prom. Look, don't do anything with the cure until I see you. Something's not right. Elijah? Hello? Elijah, do not take your eyes off that cure.

Elijah: I think it might be a little late for that.

LOCKWOOD MANSION

[Tyler and Caroline are still dancing.]

Tyler: I have to go soon. People will be here for the party, and if anyone sees me...

Caroline: I know. I know. [She kisses him.] Thank you for the best prom ever.

[They kiss again, then Tyler walks away towards the door. Caroline smiles, though looks ready to break at any moment. Outside, Tyler shuts the front door when Klaus appears beside him on the front porch.]

Klaus: Was it worth it? To see her smile, to make her dream night come true? _Was_. _It_. _Worth it?_

[Tyler doesn't respond, but merely stares back at Klaus unblinkingly.]

Klaus: In the shared interest of giving Caroline the night of her dreams... I'm going to allow you 5 seconds before I rip your heart out of your chest. 5... 4... 3...

[Tyler vamp-runs and disappears.]

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

[Stefan is laying Elena's unconscious form onto the cot in the jail cell of the boarding house cellar while Damon stands in the doorway.]

Damon: She might not feel much, but she's gonna feel _that_ in the morning.

Stefan: So what's the plan?

Damon: When Bonnie was whaling on her tonight, I could see it in her eyes. Elena thought she was gonna die. She was scared.

Stefan: Fear.

Damon: Last time I checked, one of those pesky human emotions.

Stefan: So Plan "C"... Make her life a living hell.

Damon: You care to talk about our other problem? You know, the one that can be anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Stefan: Silas still needs Bonnie. And if tonight is any indication, she's no pushover. She's not gonna let him manipulate her, not anymore.

Damon: I wouldn't underestimate his talents. He fooled the hell out of both of us.

[They exit the cell and Stefan shuts it and bolts it behind them.]

Damon: What did he say to you anyway?

Stefan: He led me out in the woods, claiming he saw Silas, and then he staked me.

Damon: Hm.

Stefan: How'd he get to you?

Damon: [hesitating] Talked about his hair. Figured it had to be you.

Stefan: Funny.

[Damon starts toward the stairs while Stefan looks through the bars in the door at Elena.]

Damon: You coming?

Stefan: [after a moment of hesitation.] Yeah.

KLAUS' MANSION

[Klaus enters the room and sees a letter propped against a glass decanter. He picks it up; it has a wax seal with the letter "K" imprinted on it. He opens it and reads it.]

Katherine [voice-over]: Klaus, I hear Elijah has refused you the cure and in return, you have refused me my freedom. Shame on you both. But while you boys sort out your problems, I have one last thing to offer you. I've caught wind that there is a witch in New Orleans named Jane-Anne Deveraux plotting a move against you. Hunt her down. What she has to say will rattle you so deeply to your core that chasing little old me will be the least of your concerns. It's been a fun five centuries, Klaus, but I've worn down too many good heels running from you. Love and hate, Katerina.

LOCKWOOD CELLAR

[Bonnie walks through the dimly lit cellar, the sound of water dripping breaking the silence.]

Bonnie: Silas? I know it's you. My locator spell worked without using any of your possessions.

[An unfamiliar voice speaks from the shadows.]

Silas: Ah, yes. You're finally acknowledging how powerful you are.

Bonnie: You're not Jeremy anymore. Is this the real you? [silence] Then tell me why you're hiding.

Silas: Call it Qetsiyah's revenge. When she learned that I didn't love her, she used her magic to ensure no woman could ever love me. It should come as no surprise that now I simply want to die.

[Silas has the box containing the cure in his hands.]

Bonnie: And I want you to.

Silas: Even if it means bringing back every dead supernatural being?

Bonnie: Show me your face.

[Silas arises from his sitting place, and emerges into enough light for Bonnie to see him. She is shocked to see his appearance - he looks deformed and monstrous.]

[END CREDITS]


	20. The Originals

**The Originals**

**Salvatore House**

[Elena is still locked in the cellar, her breathing labored. Damon and Stefan discuss their plan upstairs in the parlor.]

Damon: She's the calmest desiccating vampire I've ever seen. I remember when you starved me down there for three days, I would've wept at your feet for an orange peel.

Stefan: Look, she's not gonna beg for blood. Begging means desperation, emotion. She's still in no-humanity zone.

Damon: How hungry does she have to be before we can torture some feelings back into her?

Stefan: A lot hungrier than she is now, apparently.

Damon: So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?

[Katherine enters the room.]

Katherine: Maybe I can provide a little excitement.

Stefan: Katherine.

Katherine: The one and only... sort of. So, when's the 'Welcome Home' party?

[Katherine proceeds to pour herself a drink.]

Damon: Wow, look who went and got bold. Last time I checked, Klaus was plotting your eternal demise.

Katherine: Well, it doesn't matter anymore, because Klaus is gone.

Stefan: Wait, what do you mean he's gone?

Katherine: Let's just say that, Hayley Girl, turned out to be just the thing we needed to get Klaus out of our lives- for good.

[Katherine smiles.]

A BAR IN NEW ORLEANS

[Willow sits at a largely deserted bar at midday. The bartender talks to her.]

Jane Anne: Hi You are New in town aren't you

Willow:Yeah I am just visting New Orleans Mystic Falls isn't agreeing with me at the Moment

Jane-Anne: You know, ladies in the 9th ward say my sister, Sophie, bleeds a piece of her soul into every dish do you want any.

Willow: Oh No thanks I have been feeling a little down lately and I've ate before I came.

[Jane-Anne glances across the room at her sister, who is working on the other side of the restaurant.]

Willow: I asked around the Quarter about a Place to stay for the Night...

Jane-Anne: I will help you find something here Don't Worry( Taking the Girls hand and feeling the Strong Power from within) You are a Mage/Vampire aren't you.

Willow: Yes It was a Fight me and My friends had with a Vampire Hunter I was stake in the chest and a Vampire friend helped me by giving me her blood but just as soon the Blood was in my system I died coming back as a Vampire/Mage Hybrid

Jane-Anne: Interesting young Lady you are( Looking over at Sophie who was just as shocked to hear about this young girl being Unigue)

A CEMETERY

[Willow is driving down a country road; the shots alternate a few times between her and a scene with Jane-Anne and Sophie entering a cemetery, in which all the tombs are above-ground mausoleums.]

Sophie: Don't do it. Please. What if I'm wrong about her?

Jane-Anne: That's the beauty of you- you're never wrong. She's the only way we're gonna get to Klaus.

Sophie: Can we get someone else to do the spell?

Jane-Anne: Who? Half the witches don't believe you, the other half are too scared.

Sophie: Because they know we're gonna get caught, Jane-Anne.

Jane-Anne: We don't have any other options, Sophie.

[They join hands. Sophie has tears in her eyes.]

Jane-Anne: Now go. You know what you need to do.

[Sophie nods at her. Later that day, Jane-Anne is still at the cemetery at night. She has lit several candles and appears to be preparing a spell, arranging salt in a specific arrangement on a wooden surface. Meanwhile, Willow parks her car somewhere in the bayou and looks at the map. At the cemetery, Jane-Anne lights another candle, and the map Willow is holding ignites.]

Willow: What the...?

[Willow tosses the flaming paper out of the window. Jane-Anne lifts a smoking goblet to the table; Willow puts her car in reverse but the car starts to produce smoke and stops working.]

Willow: Are you kidding me?

[Willow gets out of the car. Jane-Anne continues to arrange the salt into patterns on the table. Willow dials a number on her cell phone.]

Willow: Hey, I'm looking for a tow service?

[Jane-Anne starts humming; Willow's phone produces an ear-piercing noise. She pulls it away from her ear, grimacing in discomfort, throws it on the ground and covers her ears. As Jane-Anne continues to conduct her spell, shadowy figures begin approaching Willow, emerging from the trees. At the same moment that Jane-Anne lifts a candle and blows the flame out, Willow passes out and falls to the ground. Sophie half-catches her as the others draw nearer.]

NEW ORLEANS - THE FRENCH QUARTER

[A tour guide leads a group down a street.]

Tour guide: Welcome to the dark side of New Orleans, a supernatural playground where the living are easily lost, and the dead stick around to play.

[Klaus, standing on a street corner, observes the milieu. Back in Mystic Falls at Rebekah's house, Elijah updates Rebekah on Klaus' whereabouts.]

Rebekah: New Orleans? What the hell is Klaus doing there?

Elijah: Evidently there are witches conspiring against him. So, knowing our brother, this was a mission to silence and slaughter.

[In New Orleans, Klaus enters a marketplace and heads towards a particular table where a woman wearing a headscarf sits with a crystal ball and other similar wares. Seeing Klaus, she begins packing up her things.]

Rebekah: Well, the French Quarter witches are not a lot to be trifled with. You don't suppose they've found a way to kill him once and for all, do you?

[Rebekah smiles as she takes a sip of her drink.]

Elijah: Rebekah, in the name of our family, you might try to dial down your glee.

Rebekah: What family? We're three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline. I, for one, hope they've found a way to make that traitorous bastard rot.

[In New Orleans, Klaus sits at the woman's table.]

Klaus: Good afternoon. Time for one more?

Woman: I have nothing to say to you.

Klaus: Oh, now that's not very amiable, is it? You don't even know me.

Woman: I know what you are. Half-vampire, half-beast. You're the hybrid.

Klaus: [smiling] I'm the Original hybrid, actually, but that's a long story for another time.

[Cut to Elijah and Rebekah in Mystic Falls.]

Rebekah: Where are you going?

Elijah: To find out who's making a move against our brother. And then I'll either stop them... or I'll help them, depending on my mood.

[Cut back to New Orleans.]

Klaus: I'm looking for someone- a witch. Perhaps you might be able to help me find her. Jane-Anne Deveraux.

[The woman visibly reacts to the name.]

Woman: Sorry. I don't know.

[Klaus leans toward her.]

Klaus: Well, now that's a fib, isn't it? [Klaus takes the woman's hand on the table, smiling.] Now, you see, I know that you're a true witch amongst this sea of poseurs, so enough with the fabrications. I've quite a temper.

[The woman withdraws her hand.]

Woman: Witches don't talk outta school in the Quarter. The vampire won't allow it. Those are the rules. I don't break Marcel's rules.

Klaus: Marcel's rules? Where do you suppose I might find Marcel?

NEW ORLEANS - A BAR

[Klaus enters a bar where Marcel is performing karaoke on stage. Marcel finishes the song.]

Marcel: [into the microphone] Thank you.

[Marcel jumps down from the stage to applause and joins a few companions, who hand him a drink.]

Marcel's friend: You killed it, man.

[Sensing Klaus, Marcel pauses before looking over at him. Marcel's companions notice the sudden tension.]

Marcel: Klaus.

Klaus: Marcel.

Marcel: Must be a hundred years since that nasty business with your papa.

Klaus: Has it been that long?

[Klaus and Marcel start to approach one another slowly.]

Marcel: The way I recall it, he ran you outta town. Left a trail of dead vampires in his wake.

Klaus: And yet how fortunate you managed to survive. My father, I'm afraid, I recently incinerated to dust.

[Klaus' aggressive tone alerts Marcel's companions to stand and ready themselves for a confrontation. It turns out there are much more than just a few of them, as half the restaurant gets on its feet.]

Marcel: Well, if I'd known you were coming back in town, if I had a heads-up-

Klaus: What, Marcel? What would you have done?

[Klaus and Marcel are nose to nose, the tension thick. Marcel pauses before answering.]

Marcel: I'd have thrown you a damn parade.

[Marcel's face breaks into a wide grin and he laughs, which Klaus returns and they embrace like long-lost brothers. Marcel draws back and places his hands on either side of Klaus' neck.]

Marcel: Niklaus Mikaelson. My mentor, my savior, my sire. Let's get you a drink.

[In another room a few minutes later, Marcel chuckles and joins Klaus at a small private table, though they are accompanied by a few of Marcel's companions. Marcel pours drinks for Klaus and himself.]

Marcel: It is good to see you.

Klaus: It's good to be home. Although please tell me the current state of Bourbon Street is not your doing.

[Marcel chuckles.]

Marcel: Something's gotta draw in the out-of-towners, otherwise we'd all go hungry.

[Klaus peers at one of the guys flanking the doorway of the room.]

Klaus: I see your friends are daywalkers.

Marcel: Yeah, yeah, I shared the secret of your daylight ring with a few buddies. Just the inner circle, though- the family.

Klaus: Tell me: how did _you_ find a witch willing to make daylight rings?

Marcel: I got the witches around here wrapped around my finger.

[Klaus chuckles.]

Klaus: Is that so? I'm looking for a witch by the name of Jane-Anne Deveraux. Has some business with me.

[Marcel makes eye contact with one of his cohorts.]

Marcel: You're looking for Jane-Anne? You probably oughta come with me. [He stands and laughs.] Ha-ha, showtime!

NEW ORLEANS - THE FRENCH QUARTER

[Out on a street at night, a crowd of people begins to form; vampires walk along rooftops and jump on cars, setting off alarms. A large group follows Marcel and Klaus.]

Marcel: Oh, how's your family?

Klaus: Those who live hate me more than ever.

Marcel: Ah, forget 'em. If your blood relations let you down, you make your own, eh? You taught me that. And what's mine is yours, as always. Even my nightwalkers, the riff-raff.

[Marcel indicates the vampires walking along and jumping from the rooftop, then grabs a branch off a tree they pass.]

Klaus: They're hardly subtle, are they?

Marcel: It's the Quarter. Ain't no such thing as subtle, baby.

[Marcel whistles with his fingers and the crowd cheers. One vampire brings forward Jane-Anne, whose wrists are bound with rope in front of her.]

Marcel: Jane-Anne Deveraux! Give it up for Jane-Anne! Come on, let's hear it! Jane-Anne Deveraux, you have been accused of the practice of witchcraft beyond the bounds of the rules set forth, and enforced, by me. How do you plead? [He turns abruptly and walks over to Klaus.] Was that convincing? I studied law back in the '50s. Hold that thought. [He returns to Jane-Anne.] Seriously Jane, tick-tock. You know the drill. How do you plead?

Jane-Anne: I didn't do anything.

[The crowd laughs quietly.]

Marcel: Mm, that's a lie. You know it, I know it, and you _hate_ that I know it. It drives you witches crazy that I'm aware of your every move. That you can't do magic in this town without getting caught. So, why don't we just cut to the chase, huh? You tell me what magic you're brewing. I mean, tell me. I'll grant you leniency. Hey, I am, after all, a merciful man.

[Klaus and the crowd observe in utter silence. Jane-Anne scoffs, a disgusted look on her face.]

Jane-Anne: Rot in hell, monster.

[Shocked murmuring rumbles through the crowd. Marcel smiles.]

Marcel: I'll tell you what. I'll give you one more chance...

[Marcel starts to walk away. Suddenly, he swings the branch he's been holding so fast that it slices open Jane-Anne neck. She immediately begins to gag.]

Marcel: Or not.

[Jane-Anne falls to the ground and the crowd cheers. Klaus stares at her body, looking displeased. He approaches Marcel and grabs his shoulder to turn him round.]

Klaus: What was that?

Marcel: Hey. Come walk with me. The witches aren't allowed to do magic here- she broke the rules.

Klaus: I told you I wanted to talk to her.

Marcel: Hey, I'm sorry. I got caught up in the show. Those witches, they think that they still have power in this town. I have to show them that they don't. I never waste an opportunity for a show of force, another lesson that I learned from you. And besides, anything that you could've gotten outta her, I can find out for you, and I will. I promise.

[Klaus considers him for a few moments.]

Klaus: Well, whatever it was, doesn't matter anymore, does it?

[He smiles, and Marcel smiles back.]

Marcel: Good, good. Then let's eat, 'cause all that spilled blood makes me hungry, ha-ha!

[Marcel walks off. Klaus hangs back to confront one of Marcel's men walking by, stopping him with a hand on the man's chest.]

Klaus: Hey, Thierry, isn't it? Any more Deveraux witches where she came from?

A BAR IN NEW ORLEANS

[Sophie is chopping vegetables at the restaurant, clearly upset. She turns around and is startled to see Klaus standing there.]

Sophie: You're Klaus.

Klaus: I am. And you're upset. Sophie, isn't it? I assume this is because of what I just witnessed with your sister on the corner of Royal and St. Ann?

Sophie: Did you enjoy the show?

Klaus: It was a little melodramatic for my tastes. What did your sister want with me? Why did Marcel kill her?

[Sophie opens her mouth to speak but then notices a few men arriving at the bar.]

Sophie: I see you brought friends.

[Klaus turns and looks at the men, then back to Sophie.]

Klaus: They're not with me.

Sophie: They're with Marcel. That's all that matters. I know you built this town, but this is his town now. He killed my sister because she broke the rules. So I talk to you in front of them, I'm next.

[Sophie turns and leaves. Klaus approaches the men at the bar and sinks his grip into their shoulders.]

Klaus: Are you two gentlemen following me?

First man: Marcel said we're your guides.

Klaus: Oh, he did, did he? He did. Well then, let me be exceedingly clear about something: if either of you follow me again, you'll do so without the benefit of a spine.

[He tightens his grip until the bartender approaches them.]

Cami: Sorry for the wait. If you're here for the gumbo, I'm about to break your heart. We just ran out.

[Klaus releases the men and places a 100-dollar bill on the bar.]

Klaus: Your oldest Scotch for my two friends here, love.

[She takes the bill, smiles, and walks away. Klaus resumes his hold on the men.]

Klaus: If Marcel wants to know what I'm up to, he can ask me himself.

[Klaus lets go of them roughly and leaves as Sophie watches from the other side of the restaurant. She walks out the back alley exit, down a few stairs and stops at a small table covered with lit candles, her cheeks wet with tears. As she tends the candles, the door behind her suddenly swings shut with a bang and startles her. Wary, she remains still when a figure jumps and she swivels around, but still sees no one. She turns again to see the man who spoke to Klaus inside.]

Sophie: The doors work, you know.

[A voice behind her speaks - it's the other man from inside.]

Second man: You're doing magic?

Sophie: I'm praying to my dead sister. Go ahead, pay your respects.

[She turns back to the other guy, who vamp-speeds right in front of her.]

First man: Don't make this a thing, Sophie. The hybrid was looking for Jane-Anne- Marcel wants to know why.

Sophie: Oh, that sounds like witch business. I'd say ask her yourself, but I guess you can't, seeing as Marcel killed her.

[She turns back to the second man. The first man begins to attack her from behind, but suddenly disappears. She and the second man look up, then turn at the sound of something falling to the ground - a heart oozing blood. The second man looks angry but doesn't have time to do anything about it before their attacker has thrown him up against the brick building, where he is held by a long stake protruding from his chest. Elijah straightens his coat.]

Elijah: I'm Elijah. You heard of me?

Sophie: [nodding fervently, nervous] Yes.

Elijah: So, why don't you tell me what business your family has with my brother?

NEW ORLEANS - THE FRENCH QUARTER

[Klaus walks down a street and turns down an alleyway that leads to a covered courtyard, where people are drinking, dancing and generally having a good time. Klaus spots one of Marcel's men wearing the Original family's daylight ring and approaches him aggressively.]

Klaus: Where is Marcel?

Man: And who the hell is asking?

Klaus: I assume you're joking.

Man: I only answer to Marcel.

Klaus: Well then, in that case perhaps you'll answer to this. [Klaus seizes the man by the neck and his eyes vamp-out; his voice rises until he is shouting.] You're aware the bite of a werewolf can kill a vampire? Well, as you can see, I'm half werewolf, so I'm gonna ask you one more time: where is Marcel!?

[Marcel's voice rises from behind Klaus and he hurries over to break up the confrontation.]

Marcel: He-hey, I'm right here, I'm right here, e-e-easy now. Diego's just looking out for me. Nobody harms my guys- those are the rules.

Klaus: I don't care about your rules, Marcel, and I don't need chaperones. Why are you having me followed?

[Marcel leads Klaus away from the others.]

Marcel: Come here. I get it- a show of force. You've made your point. Let it go friend, ah? For me.

Klaus: Fine. Why don't you show me what you've done with the place, while you explain exactly what it is you've been up to in _my_ town?

[Marcel pauses only for a moment before smiling his wide grin.]

Marcel: Follow me.

[He leads Klaus up a flight of stairs and they emerge onto a gallery overlooking the street.

Marcel: Look at that skyline, huh? That there, that's progress. More hotels, more tourists, more fresh blood. And the humans? I taught them to look the other way.

Klaus: And what of the witches? In my time, they were a force to be reckoned with, and now they live in fear. How do you know when they're using magic?

Marcel: Maybe I got a secret weapon, an ace up my sleeve. Something that gives me complete control over all the magic in this town.

Klaus: Hm. Is that a fact?

Marcel: Might be. Maybe I'm just bluffing.

[Marcel puts something in his mouth that sizzles slightly.]

Klaus: You take vervain?

Marcel: Burns like a bitch, but I figure I should limit the number of things I'm vulnerable to. Don't be mad about that chaperone thing. I've told my guys to look out for you, that's all. That's what we do here- look out for each other.

[Marcel spots a woman walking down the street below.]

Marcel: Mm, m-m-mm. New blood.

[Klaus recognizes her from earlier at the bar.]

Klaus: Bartender, walking alone at night. She's either brave or dumb.

Marcel: Let's see: brave, I let her live; dumb, she's dessert.

[They smile. Marcel hops the gallery's wrought-iron railing down onto the sidewalk below. The woman swivels around at the sound of him landing behind her.]

Marcel: You know, it's not safe here alone.

Cami: You know, I have a black belt in karate.

[Marcel chuckles. Above on the gallery, Klaus greets his brother without turning right away.]

Klaus: Evening, Elijah.

Elijah: Niklaus.

Klaus: What an entirely unwelcome surprise.

Elijah: And what an entirely unsurprising welcome. Come with me.

Klaus: I'm not going anywhere. Not till I find out who's conspiring against me.

Elijah: I believe I just found that out for you.

[Klaus turns to look at Elijah. Some time later, they enter Lafayette Cemetery.]

Klaus: What are we doing here?

Elijah: You wanna know what the witches have in store for you? Follow me.

[They enter one of the mausoleums.]

Klaus: Sophie Deveraux. What is this?

Elijah: He's all yours. Proceed.

Sophie: [to Klaus] You know you're famous in this town? Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphan street rat, until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants, he kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him, and you're gonna help me.

[Klaus smiles, amused.]

Klaus: This is why you brought me here?

Elijah: Hear her out.

Klaus: I don't need to hear her out. I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time. Elijah, what madness is this?

[Willow enters the mausoleum with a few others.]

Willow: Klaus. You need to listen to them.

[Klaus laughs.]

Klaus: You're all out of your minds if you think this is going to make me Listen.( Throwing her a Sad look of Regret as he sees her Hurt expression)

Sophie: Marcel may be able to keep up from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance we still know when nature has cooked up something new. For example, I have a special gift... of sensing when a girl is pregnant.

[All amusement leaves Klaus' face.]

Klaus: What?

Willow: I know it's impossible...

Klaus: What are you saying?

Elijah: Niklaus... the girl is carrying your child.

Klaus: No. It's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate.

Sophie: But werewolves can and Mages can. Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes.

[Klaus fights for control over his facial expression before he turns to Willow and shouts at her.]

Klaus: You've been with someone else, admit it!

Willow: Hey, I've spent days held captive in a freaking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby and you know you the only one I've been with I would never do that ?

Sophie: My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. [By their surprised expressions, this is news to Elijah and Willow.] If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Willow won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress.

Willow: Wait, what?

Elijah: Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself.

Sophie: No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules.

[Klaus, who had turned away, turns slowly to face Sophie, his anger barely restrained and his voice frighteningly quiet.]

Klaus: How dare you command me... [shouting] threaten me, with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear any more lies.

[He moves to leave.]

Elijah: Niklaus. Listen.

[Klaus turns toward Willow, from whose abdomen he can hear a rapid heartbeat. Klaus listens in wonderment for a few long moments, meets Willow's eyes, then closes himself off once more. He turns back to Elijah.]

Klaus: Kill her and the baby. What do I care? ( Willow Hurt by this turns away from Him even though he feels Guilty he didn't want to Need her)

[Klaus storms out of the mausoleum. Shortly thereafter, he is walking down a deserted but well-lit street when Elijah catches up with him.]

Elijah: Niklaus.

Klaus: It's a trick, Elijah.

Elijah: No, brother. It's gift. It's your chance- it's _our_ chance.

Klaus: To what?

Elijah: To start over. Take back everything we lost, everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. Our family was ruined- we were ruined. And since then, all that you have ever wanted- all that _we_ have ever wanted was a family.

Klaus: I will not be manipulated.

[Klaus turns away but Elijah vamp-speeds over to block his way.]

Elijah: So they're manipulating you. So what? With them, this girl and her child- _your_ child- live.

Klaus: I'm gonna kill every last one of them.

[He shoves Elijah and turns away but once again Elijah blocks him.]

Elijah: And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?

Klaus: People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid. What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?

Elijah: Family _is_ power, Niklaus. Love, loyalty- that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognize as my own brother. This is _us_, the Original family, and we remain together, always and forever. I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So save Willow. Save your child.

[Elijah has placed a hand on Klaus' shoulder. Klaus brings his own hand to Elijah's neck in a brotherly gesture.]

Klaus: No.

[Klaus turns and walks off, leaving Elijah to stand alone. Later, Elijah is on a busier street talking on the phone. The shots alternate between him in New Orleans and Rebekah in Mystic Falls.]

Elijah: Well, he's doing what he does; given a chance at happiness, Klaus runs in the opposite direction.

Rebekah: Then let him run. That child and Willow shouldn't be Near him she is too Pure for the Likes of Him.

Elijah: He's not better off without that child, Rebekah, and neither are we.

Rebekah: Darling, kind Elijah. Our brother rarely brings us anything but pain. At what point in your immortal life will you stop searching for his redemption?

Elijah: I'll stop searching for his redemption when I believe there is none left to be found.

[Elijah hangs up, and Rebekah follows suit. Rebekah hears a noise behind her and turns - Katherine is leaning against a table.]

Rebekah: I'd give you a play-by-play, but you have the air of someone who's been lurking and listening.

Katherine: He'll come around. You know Elijah- he won't stop until he's convinced Klaus to do the right thing.

Rebekah: I know you consider yourself an expert in brotherly dynamics, but you don't know my brothers half as well as you think you do.

Katherine: You're wrong. Klaus won't be able to walk away from this. He and I are the same. We manipulate, we thirst for power, we control, we punish, but our actions are driven by one, singular place deep inside.

Rebekah: And what's that?

Katherine: We're alone, and we hate it. Tell Elijah to call me when he comes home. I'll be waiting for him.

NEW ORLEANS - THE FRENCH QUARTER

[Klaus returns to Marcel's courtyard party where everyone is still dancing and drinking.]

Marcel: Hey, man. Where'd you run off to?

Klaus: You mean your minions aren't still documenting my every move?

Marcel: Someone put you in a mood. What can I do?

Klaus: What you can do is you can tell me what this thing is you have with the witches.

Marcel: Oh, we're back to that?

Klaus: Yeah, we're back to that.

Marcel: You know I owe you everything I got, but I'm afraid I have to draw the line on this one. This is _my _business. I control the witches in my town. Let's just leave it at that.

Klaus: Your town?

Marcel: Damn straight.

Klaus: That's funny, because when I left 100 years ago, you were just a pathetic little scrapper still trembling from the lashes of the whips of those who would keep you down, and now look at you. Master of your domain. Prince of the city. [The music stops and the crowd watches them.] I'd like to know how.

Marcel: Why? Jealous? Hey, man, I get it. Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal colony into something. You started it, but then you left. Actually, you ran from it. I saw it through. Look around. Vampires rule this city now. We don't have to live in the shadows like rats. The locals know their place. They look the other way. I got rid of the werewolves. I even found a way to shut down the witches. The blood never stops flowing and the party never ends. You wanna pass on through? You wanna stay a while? Great. What's mine is yours, but it is _mine._ My home, my family, my rules.

Klaus: And if someone breaks those rules?

Marcel: They die. Mercy is for the weak. You taught me that, too. And I'm not the prince of the Quarter, friend. I'm the king! Show me some respect.

[Klaus takes this all in for a few moments, then he vamp-speeds towards one of Marcel's men, bites him viciously in the neck, then drops him. Klaus speaks with blood dripping from his lips.]

Klaus: Your friend will be dead by the weekend, which means I've broken one of your rules. And yet I cannot be killed. I _am_ immortal. Who has the power now, friend?

[Klaus faces off with Marcel, who says nothing. After a moment Klaus smiles around at the crowd then turns and leaves. Out in the street he navigates through crowds of people. He stops to see a band of musicians, then notices a man painting a large canvas. He notices the bartender from earlier standing and watching the man paint, too, and approaches her. She notices him once he's standing next to her.]

Cami: The hundred dollar guy.

Klaus: The brave bartender. [He looks at her name tag.] Camille. That's a French name.

Cami: It's a grandma's name. Call me Cami. Amazing, isn't he?

[They observe the painter once more.]

Klaus: Do you paint?

Cami: No, but I admire. Every artist has a story, you know.

Klaus: And what do you suppose his story is?

Cami: He's... angry. Dark. Doesn't feel safe and doesn't know what to do about it. He wishes he could control his demons instead of having his demons control him. He's lost. Alone.

[Klaus' eyes are glistening. He tears his eyes away from the painter, smiling ruefully to himself.]

Cami: Or maybe he just drank too much tonight. Sorry. Overzealous Psych major.

Klaus: No. I think you were probably right the first time.

[Cami smiles at him, then glances back at the painting.]

Cami: So, do you- [She looks round but Klaus is gone] -paint?

[Klaus walks down a deserted street and sits down on a bench. After a minute, Elijah arrives and sits beside sits on another Bench still a little Hurt of Klaus's Abandonment]

Klaus: Are you here to give me another pep talk on the joys of fatherhood?

Elijah: I've said all I needed to say.

Klaus: I forgot how much I liked this town.

Elijah: I didn't forget. All the centuries we've spent together, and yet I can count on one hand the number of times that our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here.

Klaus: As did I.

Elijah: What is on your mind, brother?

Klaus: For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and... chase me off. He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be king.

Elijah: And what of Willow and the baby?

Klaus: Every king needs an heir.

[Klaus smiles.]

Willow: I am so Sorry you had to find Out this Way Klaus Its is not within me to decieve you in any way( Hurt in her voice as she came over to them)

Klaus:( Looking at her knowing she specks the Truth and feeling a little Pride knowing he actully help create a Child and with Willow who he Needed to Mark as his Own Now gets His Wish) No I am Sorry I should have never Hurt you it was never My Intention you came here to get away from Mystic Falls just like I did and you got Caught up into what the Witches and Marcel are Cooking

Willow: So Now what Klaus I have never been Pregnant before this is as New to me as it is to you.

Elijah: Don't Worry Little Mage Nothing will happen to you as Long as we are around.

Willow feeling a little Scared knowing that she is with Child and Not knowing what her future is Now

A CEMETERY

[It is daylight and Elijah arrives at the cemetery with Sophie.]

Elijah: So, how do you propose this will work?

Sophie: Your brother needs to cement his place in Marcel's world. His inner circle, the daywalkers- that's where we begin. They're his friends, his family. We'll be hitting him where it hurts.

NEW ORLEANS - THE FRENCH QUARTER

[Klaus arrives at Marcel's place while Sophie talks. He enters a room where the man he bit lies dying, surrounded by others, including Marcel. When Klaus enters Marcel and Diego rise defensively.]

Klaus: I had time to sleep on it last night. [Marcel motions to Diego not to attack.] I am not your enemy. Where my family and I failed this town... Marcel succeeded.

[Klaus reaches over to a drink tray and picks up a glass. He bites into his hand and holds it, bleeding, over the glass.]

Klaus: My blood will heal him, as though it never happened.

[Marcel nods at Diego, who takes the glass and gives it to the dying man.]

Klaus: The Quarter is your home, but I would like to stay a while, if I'm still welcome.

[Marcel's wide grin spreads across his face, and his places his hands on Klaus' neck, chuckling.]

[Later, outside, Klaus observes a small parade of people dancing and performing down a street. He takes out his phone and dials a number. He leaves a message.]

Klaus: Caroline. I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world, surrounded by food, music, art, culture, and all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me.

[He hangs up, smiles, pockets his phone and continues his way down the street.]

REBEKAH'S HOUSE

[Elijah has returned from New Orleans; he and Rebekah are arguing.]

Rebekah: So that's it? I'm just supposed to pack up my things and leave for good? Forget my life here and my pursuit of the cure?

Elijah: Oh, the cure was a fool's errand. I mean, taking it would've stripped you of everything you are, for what? More high school proms?

Rebekah: I wanted to be human. I wanted children and a family.

Elijah: And I stand before you to offer you both.

Rebekah: And if I decide against you? A dagger in my heart and then back in a box?

Elijah: I've made my case. Your family needs you, and what choice you make right now is your own.

[Rebekah considers him for a few long moments, then walks closer to him.]

Rebekah: I owe him nothing. I wish him no joy, no love. I will stay here and live my life the way I want to, and if you're smart I suggest you do the same Willow bless her Heart but she deserves better then Klaus as a Father to her Baby.

[Rebekah leaves. Katherine appears behind Elijah.]

Katherine: She's right. Be smart, Elijah. Klaus is stark raving mad, not to mention completely irredeemable. Leave him to set off on this new adventure, and let's you and I go out on ours. I have lost so much of my life to Klaus. So have you. [She brings a hands to his arm soothingly.] It's our turn. Elijah, please.

Elijah: Katerina...

[He places a hand on her cheek, draws his face nearer to hers, but kisses her forehead instead of her lips.]

Elijah: Goodbye.

[He leaves her.]

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

[Elena is in bad shape in the cellar. The door unlocks and opens to reveal Damon.]

Damon: You look terrible.

Elena: [weakly] I'm hungry. Not that you care.

Damon: But I do. That's the whole point. I do care, you don't care. It's about time for that to change.

[He offers her a blood bag. Elena's eyes widen and he reaches for it hungrily. She begins to drink it, moaning with pleasure, but soon she tastes something unsavory and begins to spit up the blood.]

Elena: Vervain?

Damon: How does that make you feel? Hurt because I'd betray you? Angry because I'd cause you pain? Or scared, because you know it's gonna get a lot worse?

[Elena vamp-speeds up but stops when she sees Stefan standing in the doorway. She nods.]

Elena: You boys wanna play games? Go ahead. Let's see who breaks first. Me... or you.

[Stefan walks further into the cellar and shuts the heavy door behind him.]

[END CREDITS]


End file.
